Pyrus communis
L.
Pear
(c) Grzegorz Grzejszczak, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Grzegorz Grzejszczak
(c) Eddi Bisulli, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Eddi Bisulli
(c) erinkate, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit
The fruit, up to 5cm long, can be eaten raw or cooked, though wild pear fruit often remains very hard unless bletted and is more suited to use in pies and similar preparations.
Where to Find It
A temperate plant. They grow best in areas with cool to cold winters, mild summers and light spring rainfall. They can grow on a range of soils but do nest of deep, fertile, well-drained clay loams. Low chilling varieties (150 hours) are grown in subtropical climates. Most varieties require a chilling of about 1200 hours below 7°C. Most pears do best when temperatures are 15-21°C at fruiting time. It suits hardiness zones 2-9. Arboretum Tasmania.
Africa, Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Belgium, Bhutan, Brazil, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Caucasus, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech, Denmark, East Africa, Ecuador, Estonia, Eurasia, Europe, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Moldova, Myanmar, Nepal, North America, Northeastern India, Pacific, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Serbia, Sikkim, Slovenia, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tasmania, Turkey, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, West Indies, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe,
How to Identify
A medium to large tree. It grows to 20 m tall. It often has suckers around the base. It loses its leaves during the year. The leaves have stalks. The leaves are 5-14 cm long by 4-9 cm wide. They are oval to sword shaped. They taper to the tip. They have fine teeth around the edge. They are glossy and dark green above. The flowers are white. They occur in short shoots at the ends of branches. The fruit is pear shaped. It is rough with close, raised specks. They are yellowish green when ripe. The pulp is gritty. The thorns have been bread out of cultivated pears. There are many named varieties.
Nutrition Score: 20/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit - raw | 83.8 | 247 | 59 | 0.4 | 2 | 4 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
How to Grow
Prefers a good well-drained loam in full sun. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates light shade but does not fruit so well in such a position. Tolerates atmospheric pollution, excessive moisture and a range of soil types, if they are moderately fertile, avoiding only the most acid soils. Dislikes very exposed positions. Established plants are drought tolerant. A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to below -15°c. Plants often sucker and can form dense thickets. A parent of the cultivated pear, possibly by crossing with P. nivalis and P. cordata. There are many hundreds of varieties of cultivated pears and they are widely cultivated in the temperate zone for their edible fruits. By selection of varieties fresh fruits can be obtained from late July to April or May of the following year. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. Some pear species and varieties are self-fertile, but many require cross-pollination with another compatible pear variety to produce fruit. Pears are generally harvested in late Summer to early Autumn, depending on the variety and climate. Pear trees usually flower in Spring, typically around April to May (Northern Hemisphere), depending on the region. Pear trees typically grow at a moderate rate, reaching maturity in about 4 to 6 years, with some varieties taking longer.
Propagation: Seed is best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in autumn, when it will typically germinate in mid to late winter. Stored seed requires 8–10 weeks of cold stratification at 1°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible. Temperatures above 15–20°c can induce secondary dormancy. Prick out seedlings into individual pots once large enough to handle, and grow on in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse for their first year. Plant out in late spring or early summer the following year.
Medicinal Uses
The fruit is astringent, febrifuge, and sedative.
Other Uses
Pear trees can be used in agroforestry systems for shade and windbreaks, contributing to biodiversity and providing food for wildlife. A yellow-tan dye can be obtained from the leaves. Trees are sometimes included in shelterbelt plantings. The wood is heavy, tough, durable, fine-grained, and hard, weighing 51lb per cubic foot; it is used by cabinet makers and instrument makers, and when covered with black varnish makes an excellent ebony substitute. Pear flowers are rich in nectar and pollen, attracting bees and other pollinators. The fruit provides food for birds and small mammals, the foliage offers shelter, and the tree structure can be used by birds for perching or nesting. Rough bark and leaf litter provide overwintering sites for invertebrates, and fallen leaves create habitat for ground-dwelling organisms.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Pyrus communis, the common pear, is a species of pear native to central and eastern Europe, and western Asia. It is one of the most important fruits of temperate regions, being the species from which most orchard pear cultivars grown in Europe, North America, and Australia have been developed. Two other species of pear, the Nashi pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) and the hybrid Chinese white or ya pear (Pyrus × bretschneideri, Chinese: 白梨; pinyin: báilí) are more widely grown in East Asia.
Production
Seedling trees can take 20-80 years to commence bearing. Grafted trees take 6-8 years to bear. Trees live for about 45 years.
Other Information
It is a cultivated food plant.
Names & Synonyms
Bagugosha, Birne, Herim, Metspirnipuu, Nashi, Nashpati, Naspati, Pera blanca, Pera caravella, Pera-europeia, Pera-manteigosa, Peral, Pir eropa, Poire, Querc, Sekok, Soh-phoh
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