Seckel European Pear Scionwood

Available for pre-order Dec-Feb - Ships in the spring (Mar-May)

Ask to be put on our waitlist!

Grown by: Silver Creek Nursery Ltd.

Scionwood is not a tree, yet!

Scionwood, or scions (pronounced 'sigh-ons'), are the young, one-year shoots you graft with in order to propagate a variety. If you want to propagate a Gala apple tree, for example, you would graft with Gala scionwood!

We collect these scions from trees in our test orchards and are happy to be able to offer rare/heritage varieties!

For more information on scionwood and grafting, click HERE!

Why We Grow It: Although it is small in size, this heirloom is popular for eating fresh due to its high quality flavour. The skin is green and the flesh is very sweet with a spicy flavour, which is why it's sometimes called 'Sugar Pear.' Aside from being excellent for fresh eating, this pear is great canned, pickled, and spiced. As an added bonus, the tree is resistant to fireblight.

Customer Suggestion: One of our wonderful customers shared a recipe for Pickled 'Sickle Pears' (aka Seckel) that had been passed down from his great grandmother. We haven't tested it out yet, but Seckel pears, brown sugar, cinnamon, vinegar and cloves, cooked and marinated, then pickled sounds very intriguing! Thanks for sharing David!

Recommended Use: Canning, fresh eating

Fruit Size: Small

Storage: Keeps until November when stored in cool, humid conditions and December in cold storage

Harvest: September - Mid

Cider or Perry Class (if applicable):

Canadian Hardiness Zone: 5

Soil Preferance: Sandy loam, loam, clay loam, intolerant of chalky soils. Prefers average to moist conditions with well-drained soils, avoid planting anywhere that floods for more than two weeks in the spring.

Flowering Time: Middle

Bloom Colour: White

Pollination Requirements: Requires a pollinator of a different pear variety (European or Asian) that blooms around the same time. This variety is incompatible with Bartlett and Bartlett sports.

Sun/Shade Requirements: Full sun (approx. 8-10 hours of sun daily)

General Growth Habit: Weakly vigorous with a slender and upright growth habit, compact, crops are decently reliable of decent size. Somewhat susceptible to scab and susceptible to stony pit but somewhat resistant to mildew and fireblight.

Overall Grower Ease Rating:

This rating is a combination of our experience growing in our test orchards and current available information on the cultivar.

Each scion will have at least 2-4 grafts' worth of material and ideally will be approximately 12-18" or 30cm+ long. Since we specialize in so many varieties/species, there will be natural differences in growth habit and vigour so some varieties may be shorter or thinner. We will provide the best quality we can, within natural restraints.

If a scion is less than 6" or 15cm, it will be discounted accordingly.

Shipping: Scionwood can be shipped anytime in the spring, although we generally recommend that customers receive their scionwood by mid-April at the latest to ensure it arrives dormant. We can hold it longer if customers accept the risk that the scionwood may start breaking dormancy after this time.

Pickup: We will notify you as soon as your scionwood is ready. We recommend picking it up as soon as you are able and storing it at home.

Click HERE for tips on storing scionwood!

CLICK HERE to see our shipping policy.

$10.00

Propagation Material: Scionwood

Out of stock

Purchasing Bareroot

New to bareroot? We've got you covered on what to expect when ordering bareroot plants

Visit the Blog

Full of orchard education, fun recipes, and other fruit related content!

We are here for you!

Over the last 16 years we have helped thousands of orchardists begin their journey. Questions? Just ask!

Our Standards

We are committed to growing the healthiest, finest plants. Read about our growing standards. It all matters.