Want pear recommendations for zone 3b - 4a . I have read Ussurian pears should grow there . I have lake property there . Wanting wildlife plantings with possible human use . Also is Ussurian compatible as rootstosk with European pear .
Pears typically will not survive zone 3. To name a few that will survive zone 3 are early gold, golden spice, Ure, Parker, and Patten. If you want some inexpensive wildlife pears try these just check the cold hardiness http://oikostreecrops.com/products/?route=product/category&path=59_79. You will notice the bulk buy options where they drop down to under $3 each http://oikostreecrops.com/products/edible-fruits/wild-pears/lecont-pear/. There may be more options in the future. I contacted the USDA earlier this year as this variety is not yet available in the United States Krazulya Pear Tree - Developed in Russia - Hardy zone 3a.
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Thank you for the information .
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Jerry,
I forgot to answer your question about Ussurian pears aka harbin pears. Yes you can use them as rootstock but they do have some drawbacks. Here is where you get them Harbin Pear | Willamette Nurseries rootstock clonal seedling fruit tree ornamental seedlings. They donât do good in wet soil and do get pear decline http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r603100411.html. If you donât mind a small size and you need a lot just get them from here https://www.lawyernursery.com/productinfo.aspx?productSpecies=Pyrus%20ussuriensis.&categoryid=39. Read this article on why not to use them for European pears http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/documents/treefruit/pnw341e.pdf.
Both of them look so delicious ! 
http://www.whiffletreefarmandnursery.ca/product_p/pear007.htm
http://www.whiffletreefarmandnursery.ca/product_p/pear001.htm
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Sliding into zone three pear options do drop off some, but there are still a good number worth trying if your 4a. We are 4a, but the pears we have in have done fine even with a couple of pretty good test winters. You just have to be ready to accept loss gracefully if some failâŚmeaning I wouldnât plant one as important landscape tree. But your situation sounds perfect for planting out some âmaybesâ and seeing how they fair.
Take a look at offerings from the far north nurseries like Elmore roots, st Lawrence nurseries, and some of fedcoâs tree stuff.
A treeâs regional hardiness has a bunch of variables when you get into the marginal edges.
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Greetings:
I do not live in such a cold area, but when I did live in Minnesota I thought the U of MN stated that their âhardiestâ pear was âSummercrispâ which is part ussuriensis. Just a thought on what you might want to try. They ripen early too as my tree in SE WI always seems to be ripe around Sept.
15th-20th.
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I have done a lot of searching . Bob Purvis has a lot of hardy ones . So I have a wish list now after googling his varieties .
Really interested in the Stacey or Staceyville . Ordered some seed of Ussurensis species for rootstock . I have quince and callery but they are not hardy enough . I will start grafting on those first . May try rooting the growing scions by layering for trees on their own root .
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So I narrowed my list down to 4 varieties I ordered from Bob Pur vis . Hudar to -50 , Patten zone 2 , savignac zone 2 , Stacey zone 2 . Zones varied on some depending on which site I looked them up . Ordered OH x F 87 rootstock plus some Harbin pear seed . Thanks to everyone who commented .
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FWIW, I tried a couple of Hudar pears here (Z5a-4b) and both gave up the ghost after 2 years. I generally am faced with dry winds more so than cold, but still I was expect a Z3-4 pear to survive if not maybe even thrive here.
Staceyville and Summercrisp are pears that fave done pretty well in my location.
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Iâll be interested in hearing how your pears do. Iâm in z3 and have Stacey and Summercrisp. Stacey fruited for the first time last year (planted 2003) with a dozen small but very tasty pears. It looks like Iâll have another small crop this year. Itâs growing well. Summercrisp planted 2006 grew slower, had one fruit in 2013 which was quite good. 2014 it died (I thought) of fireblight. But later grew half dozen low shoots (above graft). Cut off all but one and it is doing well so far. There is a nearby old chokepear that that I assume helps with pollination.
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Seckel, Harrow SweetâŚboth have been fruiting for several years for me. Easiest fruits i grow. Bartlett has fruit this year.
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Early Gold and Golden Spice survive up here in zone 2. This will be the first year for fruit so I do not know how they will taste. They have not suffered any dieback yet and the temperatures during their life so far have been lower than -40 in the winter.
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Did you harvest these northof53? How did they taste?
Yup my grandkids did , we planted these trees at their place. The fruit only got about 3 inches long but was flavourful, like a bartlett. According to all who got a taste, they were wonderful. But home grown fruit usually is. The Early Gold ripened first and is done, the Golden Spice still has some to pick but the ones that ripened are very good. But it is the truth that it takes a long to get fruit on a pear.
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Yes the only ones who think pears are easy to get donât raise them. The good news is once they start producing they do it for a looooooooooong time. Pears for your heirs.
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i know this is a old thread but i thought some that posted here might be interested. from fedco hudar z2, luscious z3, cabot vermont z3, nova z3, patten z3, south worth z3, and summer crisp z3.
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Thanks @moose71. My summer crips have done well here, but I lost my Stacey to fire blight this year (very wet spring and was not able to spray copper as much as was needed).
I will replace it next spring and maybe add another.
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Hereâs the varieties I have in the nursery bed and what root stock theyâre on. These have over-wintered one year in Z4a.
Ayers: OHxF333
Bartlett: OHxF333
Beurre Bosc: OHxF97, OHxF333
German A: OHxF97, OHxF87, OHxF333
Japanese Golden Russet: OHxF97, OHxF87, OHxF333
Kieffer: OHxF333
Luscious: Quince, Amelanchier canadensis
Moonglow: Quince, OHxF97, OHxF87, OHxF333
Nova: OHxF333
Nijiseiki/20th Century: Quince, OHxF97
Patten: Quince, OHxF97, OHxF87, OHxF333
Spartlett: Quince, OHxF97, OHxF87
Summer Blood: Quince, OHxF97, OHxF87
Summer Crisp: OHxF97, OHxF87
Winter Nellis: Quince
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This is very helpful, thank you. Have you fruited the blood birne?
Also, i googled and couldnât find anything on japanese golden russet. Any info on that one?
I had a moonglow die on me this past winter. 
glad yours pulled through the vortex.
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