Pyrus Betulifolia rootstock aka BET pear rootstock aka Birch leaf pear rootstock

Harbin is another pear rootstock that is rarely used but the defunct Bear Creek nursery used to use for Asian pears because of it’s high level of cold tolerance. I have a nice Korean Giant I ordered from them over 25 years ago on it and it is the nicest Asian pear tree in form and vigor I have anywhere.

Betula is my second pick for A pear roostock after Harbin. I’ve heard from nurserymen that there is a wide range of hardiness in various strains of Bet. but trees I order on it have never suffered from what we get here. Certainly its been fine down to -17F or so on the strain ACN uses.

Asian pears are dwarf enough without slowing them down with other pear rootsocks (besides the cold susceptible Cal) unless you want a full dwarf tree. I speak from some experience with A. pears on ohXn 97 trees. They take too long to establish as well. FNand B Inventory says A. pears on E.pear rootstocks are relatively short lived.

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