I know this is a tough one. I only have room for one pear. I would like to grow one with complex flavor and do not mind grittiness. I am in Massachusetts zone 5b/6a.
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How…little space do you have? Because most pears need cross-pollination from another tree, but it’s not crazy to ignore planting distance and stuff two trees too close together. The root competition will dwarf both of them a bit and you’ll end up with one-ish tree canopy with a double trunk.
Pollination chart: https://www.grandpasorchard.com/_ccLib/attachments/pages/GOWeb-Pollination-Pear-EUROPEAN+(2013).pdf
Unless a neighbor has a pear tree, then you’re good.
My two favorites are “harrow delight” and “harrow sweet.” They are very resistant to fireblight, which makes them easy to grow, and they start bearing as young trees…and one bears early in the season and the other bears late. They taste like Bartletts.
I also have a Potomac…it is delicious and sets bigger fruit, but it has taken many more years to bear and is still not bearing much.
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Just curious,where n MA you are. If you are tight in space, you can grow one tree and learn to graft. I 2nd Harrow Sweet. I had Harrow Delight this year. Jury is still out. I love Ayers.
I also like Fo;dante des Moulins-Lille. Excellent pear.
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Ayers will self pollinate .
Like Mam says- grow one tree and learn to graft. I have a tree 12 feet tall is about 10 varieties (not all bear every year, not at all) and I love the variety. This year I had Golden Spice (the main tree), Warden Seckel, Dana’s Hovey, and White Doyenne, and I should soon have Clark’s Little Yellow Pear, Harrow Delight, Bosc, and one or two others that slip my mind (such as it is) at the moment.
Pears are too much fun to graft. @Lucky_P says that all you need is a little wine and a quiet room and bingo! (Unfortunately, the “gestation period” one pears can be discouraging. I have pear grafts that are 8-10 years old that still haven’t produced, or have been very shy. This last year I started stressing a few branches to get them started. So don’t wait!)
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I live in Worcester, MA, zone 5b/6a.
I only have room for one tree.
I have Flemish Beauty and Magness on order. I have no other pear trees, although my neighbor has one but I do not know what type it is.
What rootstock FB and Magness are on?
Euro pears can take a long time to fruit?
Another member in Worcester is @galinas.
FB is on Quince or OHxF 87.
Magness is on quince.
Thank you for the local reference.
I do not have any pears - space limitation.
Not sure you read this thread on quince and cold hardiness.