European Pear Pyrus communis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PY-russ kom-MYOO-nis
- Description
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The common pear, native to a broad area from Europe to northern Iraq, is a deciduous tree in the rose family (Rosaceae). It grows 40 to 50 feet tall and 25 to 35 feet wide and produces the familiar, teardrop-shaped, edible fruit seen in stores. Many cultivars are available with varying sizes, shapes and colors of fruit. The epithet is Latin for “common.”
This tree needs full sun but can grow in most types of well-drained soil and will even tolerate occasionally dry soil. The tree is usually grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock to maintain a shorter, more manageable tree. Fruit production is best when two or more varieties are planted together as reciprocal pollinizers. Propagation is by grafting.
The flowers of the common pear attract butterflies, bees and flies. The trees attract songbirds. Plant it in a lawn, meadow or edible garden.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Susceptible to fireblight, anthracnose, canker, scab and powdery mildew. Insect visitors include pear psylla, coddling moth and borers.
VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Harrow Delight'
Early bearing 'Harrow Sweet'
Very productive; needs heavy thinning 'Harvest Queen'
Can be harvested several days earlier than Bartlett 'Kieffer'
Can tolerate both drought and flooding 'Magness'
Upright; both productive and beautiful 'Moonglow'
Vigorous growth habit; needs at least two cultivars to ensure adequate pollination 'Seckel'
Easy to grow; very productive - 'Harrow Delight', 'Harrow Sweet', 'Harvest Queen', 'Kieffer', 'Magness', 'Moonglow', 'Seckel'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Harrow Delight'
Early bearing 'Harrow Sweet'
Very productive; needs heavy thinning 'Harvest Queen'
Can be harvested several days earlier than Bartlett 'Kieffer'
Can tolerate both drought and flooding 'Magness'
Upright; both productive and beautiful 'Moonglow'
Vigorous growth habit; needs at least two cultivars to ensure adequate pollination 'Seckel'
Easy to grow; very productive - 'Harrow Delight', 'Harrow Sweet', 'Harvest Queen', 'Kieffer', 'Magness', 'Moonglow', 'Seckel'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pyrus
- Species:
- communis
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Grafting
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Europe to N. Iraq
- Edibility:
- Fruits edible raw, cooked, or dried. Sweet and fragrant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 25 ft. 0 in. - 35 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Fragrant
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Variable fruit sizes, shapes, and colors. Teardrop shapes are most commonly known.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- White flowers with all parts in fives in clusters in the spring.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Smooth
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 1-4 inch long green, oval, alternate leaves with serrated edges. Yellow fall color.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Furrowed
- Lenticels
- Bark Description:
- The bark is smooth and gray with lenticels becoming blocky or furrowed with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Bud Scales:
- Enclosed in more than 2 scales
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Description:
- Dwarf shoots on old wood. New stems are pointed.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- English Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Flowering Tree
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Problems:
- Frequent Disease Problems
- Frequent Insect Problems
