Pyrus pyrifolia

The Asian pear is a fruit tree in the rose family (Rosaceae). They were bought to the eastern United States around 1820 by William Prince of Flushing, NY from China. More varieties were introduced to the west coast during the California 1849 Gold Rush by Chinese miners. In their native environment, they are grown in warm rainy regions 100-1400 meters in China and in low mountains in Japan. There are at least 3000 varieties. The genus name, Pyrus, is an alternate form of pirus, the Latin word for a pear tree.

The trees should be planted 10 to 15 feet apart in a frost-free location. They should be planted in an area to minimize the effects of a late spring frost. The Asian pear can grow larger than 20 feet dependent on their root stock graft and can last at least 50 years. They grow in a variety of soils but prefer well-drained fertile soil and full sun. Let the tree develop multiple trunks instead of a central leader to minimize death from fire blight. After the tree bears fruit around the 3rd or 4th year, you can reduce the fertilizer amount. Avoid excess nitrogen which could make it susceptible to fire blight. Most of the Asian pears require another pear tree for cross-pollination. Chinese cultivars bloom later than the Japanese cultivars so it is best to pollinate them with another Chinese cultivar. Spur pruning should be done every winter to improve the fruit size and quality. Fourteen to forty days after the petals fall, the tree should be hand-thinned so there is one fruitlet on every other spur or 6 inches between the fruit. If thinning is not done, the tree will produce too many pears and could break the limb.

The Asian pear grows well in areas with mild winters because they do not need a long cold period. The Asian pear should ripen on the tree. This can lead to messy grounds and crop loss when winds and rains knock down the ripe fruit. They are recommended for consumer horticulture because they are more tolerate to fire blight than European pears. The rough textured russet-colored Japanese pears are more fire blight resistant than the smooth yellow or green Chinese pears. The Asian pear is crispy and juicy but tart compared to European pears. Some Asian pears can self-pollinate but will only produce about 15% of the crop. The Asian pear is often given as gifts in China and Japan.

Depending on the cultivar, the Asian pear tree can grow large and should not be planted near overhead wires. They produce edible fruit but the ripe fruit can drop when windy or rainy so plant them where it is acceptable to have a messy ground. The early spring flowers are showy. Plant them as a specimen or flowering tree for early spring flora or in an edible garden.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Fire blight is the main problem. Other diseases include Pseudomonas shoot blight, rust disease, blossom rot, pear scab, and blossom wilt. Insects include codling moths, aphids, pear blister mite, pear midge, pear slug, caterpillars, and cherry slugworm. Deer will browse the tree.