Silver Creek Nursery Ltd.
Potted Shipova (European Pear and Common Whitebeam hybrid)
Potted Shipova (European Pear and Common Whitebeam hybrid)
Available only for pick-up at nursery.
Species: xSorbopyrus irregularis (Pyrus communis x Sorbus aria), also referred to as xSorbopyrus auricularis although this name is no longer correct
History: Shipova is a unique cross between European pears and Common Whitebeam* (Sorbus aria) which readily hybridizes with many other fruiting plants in the rose family. As a surprise hybrid, the history of Shipova is a little foggy. This cross supposedly appeared, or was perhaps planted, at Bollwiller Castle in France in the 1600s and was called Bollwiller Pear. It was cultivated in gardens in the late 1700s and early 1900s. It may have also originated in Yugoslavia and is popular in Eastern Europe today. Shipova was first brought to the US in 1959 and was imported from Yugoslavia. Today, it appears to remain something of a novelty in North America.
Why We Grow It: Shipova is a truly unique fruit tree and it is a shame that it is not grown more commonly. They are quite cold hardy and relatively disease-resistant. The trees produce clusters of small, round fruit that resemble pears. They are dense and crisp with a sweet flavour reminiscent of tropical fruits.
*Many places list Shipova as a cross between European pears and Mountain Ash. More precisely, the genus Sorbus is the Mountain Ash genus and the specific tree that is the parent of Shipova is the species Sorbus aria, commonly known as Common Whitebeam
Fruit Specs
Fruit Specs
Recommended Use: Fresh eating
Fruit Size: Small
Storage: Unknown
Harvest: September - Late
Growing Specs
Growing Specs
Canadian Hardiness Zone: 3
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.
Flowering Time: Late
Bloom Colour: White
Pollination Requirements: Partially or fully self-pollinating (there is debate!), this variety may produce fruit without another Shipova (note: all of our Shipova are clonal and will not cross-pollinate), European pear tree, or different Mountain Ash hybrid but will produce more and better fruit if one is present. Shipova may be triploid and may not be able to pollinate other trees.
Sun/Shade Requirements:
Full sun (approx. 8-10 hours of sun daily)
General Growth Habits:
Hardy, slow to begin bearing fruit. Resistant to scab.
Primocane or Floricane (if applicable):
Thorns:
Pickup
Pickup
Potted plants are only available for pick-up at the nursery. They unfortunately cannot be shipped due to the size and weight of the pots.
You are welcome to order potted plants ahead of time online or stop in at the nursery to purchase them! Our hours vary seasonally so we recommend checking our posted hours ahead of time (see the bottom of the webpage or our Google hours).
Size at Purchase
Size at Purchase
The sizes of potted plants varies by species and variety, but we have some approximate size ranges based on pot size (all heights include the pot):
- 1g pots - 1-3ft tall
- 2g or 3g pots - 1.5-3ft tall
- 5g pots - 3-7ft tall
- 8g pots - 4-7ft tall
Please note that some plants may fall outside these ranges. If you are curious about the size of a specific kind of plant, call or email us and we're happy to give you a more accurate size range!
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