Juicy Jewel™ (MN121 cultivar) pears are a juicy and crisp “Asian-type” pear with mild tropical overtone flavors. It is a cross between the Asian pear Shinseiki and the European pear Summercrisp. Its fruit is attractive, oval to elliptical in shape with yellow-green skin and an occasional orange-pink blush. It is an early ripening pear variety that is ready to harvest around the same time as Summercrisp and can be stored for 2-3 months in cold storage. Proven to be winter hardy in USDA zone 4, it has also shown to be relatively free of disease (including to fire blight) in its test trees, making it an attractive pear variety for Northern growers. Plant with another pear variety to ensure cross pollination.
Juicy Jewel™ (US Plant Patent pending) pears represents the 5th pear variety released by the University of Minnesota’s fruit breeding program and the first Asian-type pear. Unlike European pears, which ripen to a soft, creamy texture, Asian pears are known for their crisp, apple-like texture.
The boilerplate is readily repeated online but I have found very few actual reports. I dug up an old thread in October to ask the same question: The best Asian Pears - #641 by slartibartfast
Here is the one direct anecdote I got in response:
I have two in my backyard since they are stocked at local nurseries. I’ve grafted one over to Korean giant and have not decided on the other. I’m leaning toward grafting it over to a more well-known variety, as I’m in Zone 5b, so the true merits of juicy jewel don’t apply as much.
Oh great! I just broke down and ordered one! I live near UW-MN so figure it should do well here. I’ve never eaten an Asian pear, so hope it is appealing. At my advanced age, I also hope the tree isn’t too pokey to bear. What possessed me to order another fruit tree?
We need to come up with a name for this disease. It has distinct symptoms such as an unstoppable urge to plant more fruiting plants, elements of addictive behavior, loss of self-control, and a huge impact on life satisfaction. Of course, there are some rewards to having it.
I planted one two years ago. Extremely vigorous on Bet even compared to other Asians on Bet (Yoinashi). Might be better to plant in x87/97 unless you want it big. Mine looks like it’s flowering this year finally. It’s planted next to a Shinseiki and I grafted a Summercrisp nearby least Spring without thinking much about it. So it’s all The Hills Have Eyes: Pear Edition in my backyard.
Edit: I should add that I can confirm it is very susceptible to rust. I was busy with other stuff and didn’t keep up with myclobutanil last year. So it ended up with tons of the dime sized rust lesions with alien stuff sticking out of the bottoms of the leaves. But it didn’t defoliate and seemed to handle it fine. It wasn’t putting any energy into ripening fruit though either, so I’m not sure if that would change under a big crop load.
Our county extension office says Asian pears will not grow here. I hope this one will thrive, after paying nearly a hundred bucks just for shipping from an adjoining state.
I’ve got Taylor Apple Pear and Okolo growing very well here. I doubt you find either for sale in WI or MN.
I meant that you could drive to any garden center/nursery in MN and buy a Juicy Jewel tree. It’s a UMN variety, it’ll do fine for you as long as you protect it from rodents and deer.
Actually, I don’t drive in the Cities due to medical issues, so the ordering it from Grandpa’s Orchard is okay, plus this way I know I can probably receive it. With waiting til spring there is no guarantee I I will find it in a garden shop. Plus garden shops are dangerous places for fruit tree addicts to go.
I don’t drive in the metro due to personal choices, so I understand. There are plenty of garden centers/nurseries not in the cities though. I agree on driving and them not having what you want, that’s why I always call the nearest nursery before I drive the 30 minutes. As far as being tempted to buy more when you’re at a garden center…ya, we all get that.
I planted one three years ago and it hasn’t fruited yet. Hopefully this year. Mine hasn’t been extremely vigorous but it had vole damage the first winter. No foliar rust to speak of though.
Yesterday I checked Cummins. Sold out. Grandpa’s Orchard was down to 13 trees a few days back, too. If you really want one, you had best get one on order. I have no idea about the garden shop supplies. Grandpa’s Orchard stated that they might not carry it after this year. I wonder why?
