Pear varieties I can't do without!

General Fruit Growing
#16

Only one pear has been a consistent winner in my orchard, that is Fondante des Moulins-Lille. It bears early and often, is a wonderful juicy tasty pear, and is relatively easy to pick and ripen. The only downside is it is a bit soft and easy to bruise, and that also makes it more prone to stink bugs. I didn’t plant my pears in a good spot, that is why only that one is making it as a consistent winner. There are many that are good except on one of these accounts: Dana Hovey (have not ripened it well yet), Urbaniste (awesome taste and easy to ripen but not bearing a whole lot), Aurora (see Urbaniste), Harrow Sweet (not consistently ripening - I threw out my crop last year), Seckel (not cropping very well, probably due to spot it is in and not the pear), White Doyenne (probably #2 for me, it is good on all accounts but is not as tasty as the best pears), Docteur Desportes (see Seckel), Magness (see Urbaniste), etc.

Overall, make sure to check the three important boxes for any eating pear: “B” - bears well; “R” - ripens well; “T” - tastes good. I don’t have big fireblight issues on pears but that can also be a critical one for many people.

Oh this is for European pears, there are many good Asian pears… they are much better on the B and R and it mostly boils down to T.

6 Likes
#17

Some very nice varieties that I haven’t heard much about! Will have to look for some of these for next year :+1: Thanks @scottfsmith

#18

You can tell me about the Asian Pears as well. I am not that picky about that :smile:

#19

For me it a Bonne Louise d’Avrenches. Unfortunately they are susceptible to scab but I grew up with them and now I’m addicted. I’m all for planting disease-resistant trees but a Bonne Louise tree is the exception to this rule. People who don’t have problems with scab: get a Bonne Louise. They are juicy, tasty, without stonecells and the tree produces well.
The next tree will not be an espalier but a freestanding standard, should make a difference for the scab.

3 Likes
#20

Hope the standard makes the scab problem lessen or go away altogether :+1:

2 Likes
#21

I may sound like a broken record but it is factual that the pears that grow well and taste for me may not do well for you.

I don’t have pears that I cannot do with out. I like several E pears including Abbe Fetel, Comice, Concorde, Fondante, Magness, Potomac, Here was my view on several of them here ( if you have not seen the thread yet)

I look forward to trying Docteur Deportes, Aurora and Tyson.

2 Likes
#22

It is a good point always worth bringing up @mamuang but I need ideas for some great pears. That way I can trial them for myself and figure out if I like them :+1:

1 Like
#23

I have Magness and Giant Korean, recommended and bought through Century Farms here in NC. So far they are growing well, hoping to get a taste of them one of these days. :wink:

2 Likes
#24

I have a couple KG grafts on one of my trees already and Magness is one that I have rrad about on here quite a bit :+1:

#25

I really love White Doyenne and Dana’s Hovey.

3 Likes
#26

Added to the list and will do research on those 2 @marknmt

1 Like
#27

What rootstocks are you using? I’m trying several different varieties but they are all really young, so I’m likewise wondering what timeframe I’ll be waiting for. Mine are mostly on OHxF 87, but this year I hope to try some harbin roots too.

1 Like
#28

@Poncho65,
Be careful not to pick vrieties that are fire blight susceptible in your area. It can wipe out your hard work in no time.

In my yard, I love Fondante, Harrow Sweet and Ayers. I hope to taste more varieties this year.

For Asian, I have 6-7 varieties. My best are Korean Giant and Shinseiki.

My Hosui and Kosui would have produced better quality pears if they get more sun.

Do not plant pears or most fruit trees in a partial shade area if you want they to produce their best quality fruit.

2 Likes
#29

OHxF 97 and Ussurian

1 Like
#30

I will watch for fireblight. I just need to figure out what is more susceptible for it in my area :thinking:

I guess I need to put what varieties I already have and what I have and will be grafting this year.

I have a Kieffer, an Anjou, a couple Ayers as trees already. I have grafted some Korean Giant, Harrow Delight and Moonglow and will graft more of those plus Seckel, Harrow Sweet, Orient and Hood. Seems like some great varieties to get started with and I have 20 Bet rootstocks headed this way for grafting those :+1:

#31

@auburn probably can tell you more about more “southern” pears like Moonglo, Orient, Kieffer, Hood.

I think you should try varieties suggested by Scott Smith who lives in MD, zone 6b/7a.

I have high hope for Aurora, Potomac, Tyson, Abbe Fetel and Docteur Desportes.

2 Likes
#32

@Auburn was my scion source for all of these pears except Seckel and he may have taken into account where I live as to what he sent.

I will should have a good list hopefully by scion time next year.

1 Like
#33

Do you have any Asian Pears growing in that line-up?

1 Like
#34

I grafted Okolo last year. I don’t think any other Asian pears will survive occasional -40 temps. If you’re aware of some, I’d welcome the info.

2 Likes
#35

I just recently learned that I don’t dislike Pears in general. The Seckel Pear (Off my friends tree) changed my mind the first bite and has continued to impress me, so now I own it! I bought a Moonglow to pollinate it but I won’t know about flavor till the end of summer. Now I’m in search of a very early and a very late, disease resistant variety. I considered Magness, but they appear to overlap and I’d prefer to spread them out.

Yes, the Seckel is small, but extremely productive, so you can eat 2 or 3 at a time and still have plenty.

-AO

1 Like