Marcus. I have several grafts added but they haven’t fruited yet. A nearby orchard (Petals From the Past) that is a little south of me has been growing KG for several years. All indications are that they grow well there. According to my conversation with one of the owners Dr Powell, he only sprays dormant oil/copper and nothing else. This year they ripened earlier than normal but typically they ripen around mid to late September. The location should be very close to what your environment is. Bill
One of the very finest of the Asian pear selections for use in fruit gardens in the Southeast. Has a chilling requirement estimated at 800 hours below 45 degrees. Among Asian pear varieties available, Korean Giant and Shinko have the least problems with fire blight. Trees will reach 20 feet or higher but can be maintained at a height of 14 to 15 feet ( lower if grown on a trellis). Fruits are very large 3/4 to 1 1/4 lbs.,with outstanding flavor. Ripens mid to late September in central Alabama. Cross pollination required for full cropping. Shinko is ideal companion variety. Marginal in the warmer parts of coastal Alabama. Adapted to plant hardiness zones 6-8 and possibly further north. Plants are 3 gallon size and are shipped bareroot.
Thanks all: Given that they have an 800 chilling hour requirement they should work most years but maybe not get enough chill some years. This past year was insanely warm and we only got about 750 chilling hours. Hopefully that does not become the norm. God bless.
’
Marcus
Calculating chill hours is probably not an exact science yet.I’ve read about other growers having good crops of varied kinds of fruit,with less than the recommended amount. Brady
I have a question, I was looking at the Raintree Nursery catalog that I get in the mail, they describe the fruit as olive green in Color. I thought it was supposed to be golden in color? I’d like to know if anyone knows what this is about.
I doubt if anything I am about to post in this message will help you out here but I’ll just post what I have been able to find out about this which is VERY confusing! I have 2 fruit, berry and nut inventory books editions 2 and 4 from 1993 and 2009. In the 1993 2nd edition book says that Korean Giant is also known as (A-Ri-Rang, Don Bae and Muk Gul) that are large brown and round which Raintree has as a supplier. But also in the same book is another separate entry that has A-Ri-Rang as being large, russeted and yellow in color.
In my fruit, berry and inventory book 4th ed. there is no entry for A-Ri-Rang but has an entry for Korean Giant with other names as (A-Ri-Rang, Dan Bae, Olympic Giant and Large Korean) being large, russeted and dark brown. but there is also another heading in it for Olympic also known as (A-ri-rang, Korean Giant) which says large, brown-orange russet.
At this point I am not even to go into the Peggy Asian pear that I bought from Stark Bros. that says…
A unique find! Discovered as a limb sport of Arirang Asian pear tree, Doug Keithly found a real winner. The fruit was noticeably different in that it ripened four weeks earlier and had a distinct shape and attractive russet color. He named the variety after the most precious thing he could think of – his wife Peggy.
So what Is the answer to your question after all this?
My answer is I don’t have any idea if these are the same tree or if they are limb sports or something else. Also as others may say here, is that the color difference etc. could be because of the area of the country that they are growing in as well as soil properties.
Sorry I can’t be of much more help but that is why we are all here posting our questions.
Not all synonyms are the same, synonyms is a name used whenever someone suspects that different variety names might really be names for the same variety. Yet unless they are grown side by side there is no way to tell for sure. Synonym means “appears to be the same” “the same or similar”. Raintree’s supplier most likely had discovered later on that A-Ri-Rang is not the same variety as Korean Giant and are growing them side by side.
Did your tree bloom this year? I have had mine for four years and have not had any fruit. Last year the flowers were deformed from what I think was low chill, my bush cherry is doing that now. And this year I had no flowers because of low chill.
I know I have two Asian pears on their six leaf already. I put two Korean giant’s on one and I have the one that starts with a H on the other. I should have several more but I didn’t wrap the scions and they dried out in the heat. I waxed all my grafts this year. I did 22 bench grafts this morning all waxed after splicing. I don’t usually protect apples, pears, or plums, but I do now because it’s easy with the wax.
I have some years that they split. I think it’s weather-related, too hot followed by too much moisture is usually what causes it. I have not seen any split yet but I have not looked closely.
The weather has been consistently unpredictable for the past few years.
What do you think is this new pear a Korean Giant or Hosui? I think it looks just like a Korean Giant. I got a decent buy on the trees and there are supposed to be some of both mixed in.
I’d say KG. Not just the look of the fruit but the way it hangs out there in mid air. I haven’t had Housi for a few yrs but those fruits are in clusters and more hidden in leaves.
I have both varieties. At this stage, KG, is noticeably larger than Hosui. Your fruit may be about 2 weeks ahead of mine… The fruit in the pic looks quite sizable. By that alone, I’d think it is KG, not Hosui.
@fruitnut, you have good memory about Hosui often hides under leaves. I also have a number of KG that hide under leaves, too. Both of my are in cluster if not thinned.
@Derby42, I have not see split in KG. I see some split in 20th Century. They have far thinner skin than KG.
