Who grows the honeysweet pear? Cummins says this about it
"Honeysweet is a great choice it you only have room for one pear. It is a spreading and precocious tree that will bear in four-six years. It is somewhat resistant to fireblight (strikes typically cork-off in wood that is one or two years old), and it is self-fertile. Cropping will, however, be improved by the presence of a pollenizer. The pollen is fertile.
The fruit is large and turbinate, and it ripens shortly after Bartlett. The skin is an attractive golden russet, and the flesh is buttery and sweet. In terms of flavor, Honeysweet strongly resembles Seckel, which is one of its parents; it is rich, spiced, aromatic, and as sweet as honey.
From a 1955 cross of Seckel and a breeding selection, Honeysweet was chosen from 137 seedlings planted at Purdue University, selected for survival of fireblight inoculum and severe winter damage and, finally, fruit quality. It was introduced in 1979."
I planted one about a month ago, fireblight has yet to kill it. I had heard it was self-fertile and resistant to fireblight while I was contemplating a single pear tree to plant. I got to try a Seckel pear since then, and realized I probably wasnât going to just plant a single tree, so if itâs âSeckel, but biggerâ Iâll be pretty happy with it.
Iâve got it, probably planted about 2003. Seems disease free, usually sets large amount of fruitletâs , never got to get bigger than a thumb. Squirrelâs ravage them. What is very noticeable is the WIDE angle of branches to trunk, no narrow crotches. Maybe 15â tall on unknown semi-dwarf rootstock.
I looked up when I bought it earlier today. Mine has been in the ground for 8 years, Not one decent pear on it yet. No flowers survived the Blossom Blast this year, last year 3 survived the blossom blast, yet something took them before I could. In 2021 the fruit were all destroyed by âcedar-quince rustâ. Only that one year though, luckily. The year before that the one pear on the tree was not much edible. Maybe next year I will get a crop.
It looks like my Honeysweet on aronia has died. Itâs the only one that has after several years. The other grafts that are still growing are Conference, Ayers?, Taylorâs Gold and Shipova.
I also had a âdwarfâ Honeysweet from one of the big nurseries that had an 80% off sale advertised here. It also died. Now that rootstock is growing and fruiting Bell de Guigno and Thornley.
I had heard it was self-fertile and resistant to fireblight while I was contemplating a single pear tree to plant. I got to try a Seckel pear since then, and realized I probably wasnât going to just plant a single tree, so if itâs âSeckel, but biggerâ Iâll be pretty happy with it.