I placed the most recent copy of the pear database on my website. Anyone interested can pull a copy. It is a work in progress so expect changes as I find additional bits of information.
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Just when I thought I had a handle on most of the pear varieties commonly available, I find a list with nearly 1500 more. Many are variations in spelling and quite a few are mutations of common varieties. See Conference for an example. Iâll clean it up and incorporate in a few weeks.
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That is one of the sites @scottfsmith showed me years ago to identify pears. It is a good resource.
I used that site to research pears maybe 20 years ago when I put in my big stand of pears. My stand was only 50 or so varieties, childâs play compared to what you guys are doing 
The site was very helpful for the French pears that have little info in the US.
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Iâm facing a daunting task. The deeper I delve, the more varieties of pears I find. Two regions are still vastly under-represented in the list of varieties. Asian pears listed represent less than 5% of the varieties grown in Asian countries. European pears listed are about 20% of the regional varieties grown in European countries. I found a group of pear varieties today that represent regional varieties grown in Bosnia/Herzegovina. None of them were in the database. All of them were specifically listed for unique uses including juice, jelly, a type of marmalade, and several other uses.
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Iâm reading pages 264 to 270 in the Book of Pears where there is a handy chart showing relative maturity for several hundred varieties.
Beurre Alexandre Lucas, Buerre dâArenberg, Forelle, Jean de Witte, Messire Jean, and Madame Ballet are shown as conical varieties that mature in December.
Beurre Diel, General Tottleben, Buerre Baltet Pere, Enfant Nantais, Soldat Laboureur, Doyenne du Comice, Passe Colmar, Beurre Six, Jeanne dâArc, Noveau Poiteau, Nouvelle Fulvie, Beurre Clairgeau, and Triomphe de Jodoigne mature in November.
Santa Claus, Chaumontel, Glou Morceau, Marie Benoist, and President Drouard are shown as standard pyriform that mature in December.
After much data comparison, Iâve come to the conclusion the charts on maturity are unreliable in the book of pears. Names are misspelled, several varieties are placed in the wrong month per all other data sources, and a few are duplicated in different maturities.
Here is the current list of traits I am tracking in the data listing.
Variety
Nursery?
PI#
Synonym(s)
Origin
Species
ARS Full Bloom Julian Date
ARS Full Bloom Date
Reported Bloom date
Pollen Group
Self Fertile(SF), Sterile(SS), Pollen Sterile(PS), Prolific Pollen(PP), Parthenocarpic
Incompatible Vars
Harvest.Julian.Date
ARS.Maturity
Reported Harvest Date
Harvest(early, mid, late, very late)
Fruit use (fresh, storage, culinary, preserves, perry)
How many months can be stored/refrigerated
Flavor (sweet, sour, bitter, acidic, umami)
Flesh color
Skin color
Fruit Size
Fire blight susceptibility (HR, MR, LR, Susceptible)
Other diseases
Pests
Status (Extinct, Current, Available)
Ploidy
Bearing (heavy, medium, low)
Bearing type (spur, lateral, tip)
Cold Hardiness
Chill Hours
High Temperature tolerant
Precocity
Parent1
Parent2
Description
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I just placed a fresh copy of the pear spreadsheet on my web server. If you want to see what I have at this point, pull a copy. Excel 2010 or higher or compatible required to open the file.
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I found a copy of Pear Varieties in China published 2014 and ordered it a couple of weeks ago. It arrived today 2026/09/08. It is very interesting in having a list of the most cultivated varieties in China current as of 2014. I compared the list of varieties that are in my pear database and found that most are not in my list! This is funny in a way as I already have info on several hundred Asian pear varieties. I will add comments about these as I incorporate them into the database.
Here is the list of new to me varieties!
Anli
Balixiang
Bayuehong
Baozhuli
Boshan Chili
Cangwu Dashali
Cangxi Xueli
Chazili
Chetouli
Chili
Chonghua Dali
Chuxialu
Dacili
Dali
Dananguo
Dashuihezi
Dawowoli
Daxiangshui
Dayexue
Dangshan Suli
Dongguanli
Dongguoli
Donghuangli
Dongmi
Ehuang
Eli No. 1
Eli No. 2
Fenhongxiao
Fengxian Jituili
Gamchonbae
Ganlizao 8
Guanyang Xueli
Guide Tianli
Haiacheng Cili
Hanbongli
Hanxiangli
Hanyuan Baili
Hengxian Mili
Hongshaobangli
Hongxiangsu
Hongxiu No. 2
Hongzhi Muyang
Huajin
Huali No. 1
Huasu
Huangguan
Huangxian Changba
Huishui Jingaili
Huiyang Hongli
Huobali
Jianbali
Jinchuan Xueli
Jinchuizi
Jinfeng
Jinhuali
Jinhuazao
Jinli
Jinmili
Jinshui No. 1
Jinshui No. 2
Jinshuisu
Jinsuli
Jinxiang
Jingbali
Korla Fragrant Pear
Kuike Juju
Kuixing Makae
Lanzhou Changbali
Lanzhou Huanchangba
Lichuan Xiangshuili
Lianyungang Huangli
Longhui Juli
Longuan Yanghong
Longyuan Yangli
Mandingxue
Mantianhong
Manyuanxiang
Mansoo
Mangongli
Meirensu
Mili
Nanguoli
Nandaoli
Packhamâs Triump
Puguali
Pulixiao
Zipan Xiangli
Qixia Daxiangshui
Qiyuesu
Qinfengli
Qinsuli
Qinglongtian
Qingpi Fengmi
Qingxiang
Qiubaili
Qiuxiang
Qiuzi
Ruanâerli
Seerkefu
Sha 01
Shengzian Qiubaili
Shuibaili
Shuihongxiao
Shuihululi
Suizhong Xiehuatian
Shuofeng
Sumuli
Taihuangli
Tianqiuzi
Weining Dahuangli
Whangkeumbae
Whasan
Wowoli
Wujiuxiang
Wuxiangli
Xihua Hongli
Xijiangwu
Xizilu
Xiali
Xiangchunli
Xiangshuili
Xiaohuali
Xinhang
Xinglong Mali
Xueqing
Yadanqing
Yaguangli
Yalaoli
Yandang Xueli
Yanzhou Xueli
Yinbaili
Yingzhiqing
Youli
Yuluxiang
Yusuli
Zaoguan
Zaojinxiang
Zaoli
Zaomeisu
Zaosanhua
Zaosu
Zheli
Zhenzhuli
Zisu
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I have Columbia, pi 541166, not the Red Anjou Columbia. I canât remember where I got it. It has only fruited once for me in 10 years so canât remember the ripening time or flavor. Itâs greenish yellow. I remember loving it.
Columbia is White Doyenne X Bergamotte dâAutomne. The flavor and texture should be very good. I have not looked it up, but fireblight resistance is likely low.
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I made a first pass through Pear Varieties in China today and sorted out misspellings in my data list. ARS-Grin has several spelling differences vs the book. There are a few varieties in the book that are available in China but shown as historical and not available from ARS-Grin. There are a few varieties (Jingbai is one) available from hardtofindtrees.com and from Santiam nursery. Overall, out of 144 unknowns in the list above, about 20 can be found from these sources. That still leaves about 124 varieties that donât seem to exist in the U.S. It hurts to read some of the descriptions in the book where many are described like Nanguoli as âbrix 15.5, acids .56%, Extremely good in qualityâ. It is hard to read a description like that without a certain amount of angst. Want one!!!
Common spelling issues - for example Nanguoli in the book - seem to either be spelled Nan Guo Li in the U.S. or sometimes Nanguo Li. If interested, I found a Red Nanguo Li from hardtofindtrees.
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There was a thread on Nanguo here awhile back and several people got to try it and had positive comments:
It sounds like a high quality pear. I have the variety but no fruit yet.
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I should have stated that Nanguo Li (aka Nan Guo Li or Nanguoli) is available in the U.S. My intent was to highlight that some of the pears listed in the book are described as âextremely goodâ. Nanguo Li is one of roughly 45 that can be found in the U.S. That still leaves 120 varieties that I did not have in my database and do not seem to be in ARS-Grin and are not otherwise available in the U.S. Keep in mind that many of them are regional varieties grown because they are highly adapted to a particular area. That does not prevent newer varieties from displacing old favorites. Zaosu (aka Zao Su Li or Zao Su) is a newer variety about 70 years old that has replaced many older varieties.
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