History: Chojuro (translated from Japanese as 'plentiful') was found as a chance seedling in the orchard of Toma Tatsujiro in Japan around 1895. From there it became the most popular pear in Japan until modern varieties began to supplant it in the 1950s. In Kawasaki, the city where Toma's orchard was located, a monument still stands to commemorate his work as a pear breeder. Chojuro is the most popular Asian pear in North America.
Why We Grow It: This popular Japanese heritage variety is hard to turn down. The flattish round fruit has russeted brown skin and can be quite large, an excellent quality when the sweet, crisp flesh is said to taste like butterscotch! We recommend picking it when the colours turns yellow-brown so it will store through winter, otherwise it does not keep if allowed to over-ripen on the tree.
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 5
Soil Preference: Sandy loam, loam, clay loam.Prefers average to moist conditions with well-drained soils, avoid planting anywhere that floods for more than two weeks in the spring.
Growth Habits and Disease Resistance: Moderately vigourous with a spreading growth habit, has reliable and productive crops, spur-bearing. Somewhat resistant to fireblight.
Sun/Shade: Full sun (approx. 8-10 hours of sun daily)
Pollination:Requires a pollinator of a different pear variety (European or Asian) that blooms around the same time
Flowering Time: Middle
Bloom Colour: White
Ripens: Mid September
Storage: Keeps until February when stored in cold storage
Recommended Use: Fresh eating
Size including roots:
100-200 cm whip, 1 year grade
100 cm+ with 3 or more branches, 30 cm or more, 2 year grade
