I have been searching for a Gieser Wildeman pear tree in Canada but have been unable to find it anywhere. This pear is the variety used to make stoofpeer, a traditional Dutch treat. In Holland there is even a restaurant named after this variety, but here in Canada I can barely find any information about it. Does anyone know where I could purchase a tree or, even better, get scionwood for this variety?
2 Likes
I show it in Corvalis under two accession numbers: PI 264194 and PI 188528.
Oscar who is in the Netherlands is the only person I found on the forum who has it. The way it is stewed is intriguing.
2 Likes
@derekamills has it. He is in the US, however.
3 Likes
I am looking for the same, in Vancouver. Did you have any success @gmoerkerken ?
2 Likes
I am still working on finding one.
1 Like
I’ve run into the same problem with some older European pear varieties. Gieser Wildeman is still fairly common in the Netherlands, but it seems to be much harder to find once you start looking for it in North America.
If you mainly want the variety rather than a mature tree, I’d definitely look for scionwood first. You might have better luck through Canadian fruit-growing or heritage orchard groups than through regular garden centers. There are still nurseries in the Netherlands carrying Gieser Wildeman, so finding someone willing to exchange or send dormant scionwood may be the easiest route.
One thing I’d pay attention to if you do find a tree is the rootstock. Gieser Wildeman has poor compatibility with quince rootstocks, and historical trials have used an interstem for that reason.
It’s a really interesting variety, though. The pears aren’t particularly impressive as a fresh eating pear, but when cooked they develop that deep red color and are apparently one of the classic Dutch stewing pears. I can understand why you’d want to grow the actual variety rather than substitute it with a more common pear.
1 Like
Will it turn deep red if baked, as in pie?