Hi Tony. What is the best tasting large or largest Asian pear available on semi dwarf rootstock? And how long do they take to fruit?
Mrs,G,
I bought a Hardy Giant Asian pear from Starkbros. It took 3 years to produce. The fruits are real large with adequate thinning, super sweet and rich. Harvest time around late September to early October. My wife likes this one the best out of my ten plus varieties. I think you will like this one also. Very cold hardy to -18F without any cold damage and no FB or other diseases.
Tony
Usually called Korean Giant or Olympic. It’s my favorite also. Harvests here in September so would be late in coastal NE.
Mrs.G.
I harvest KG from early to late Oct. When I thin really well, a KG could weigh a pound or more.
Where I live, it came through these last two brutal winters with a flying color. No fire blight, knock on wood. Have not gone biennial even when I left too many on the tree. Produce well every year. Crunchy and juicy. My favorite, too.
Hot dog! Thanks. I was looking at Nashi.
Which one is sweeter?
Thank you Mamuang. This is all great news and thank you all for your input. This will be my first Asian pear. I think I’m over due. 
It is my first A pear tree, too. I cheated by buying a potted tree from a local nursery. So, I got fruit right away and every year since.
If you have an E pear or Bradford pear that blooms at the same time, I think you will be fine re. Cross pollination.
That was my next question. I have a Bartlett, a Seckel and Flemish Beauty all on one tree. Will any of these pollinate my Korean Giant and Hardy Asian Giant that I plan to buy?
Where did you buy your tree? It might be worth a trip to MA. for me.
I do not have those E. Pears so I do not know when they bloom. Judging from the amount of fruit set by KG every year, I do not worry much about cross pollination.
I think Fruit pnut is right that Stark Giant is the same tree as KG. Stark often put its name on fruit trees to make it sound exclusive.
I bought mine several years ago from a nursery in Northborough called Bigelow. I have not seen it carry any A pear these past few years. You may want to call it to see if they can order the tree for you next spring.
When I bought my tree, it was $50. This year I saw the price tag on apples and pears there at $150 a tree!!
Your can order bare root. Most nuseries carry KG. It will take about three years to fruit.
He is. I also bought one from them. Below the “Stark Giant” on the label, it is labeled “Olympic”. Each of their trademarked named varieties that I’ve gotten from them has had the actual variety listed below.
Mrs. G,
Holly Brook Orchards sells KG as Hardy Giant. If you have a local nursery that sells their trees, I’m sure they would order one for you along with the rest of their spring order. If no place around you will do that, Mahoney’s Garden Center in Mass will.
Thank you so much!
I bought my Shinko and KG from Burnt Ridge. I picked up the Drippin’ Honey/Mishirasu from a local grower for Gurney’s/Henry Fields. Anyway, the DH started flowering a year after planting, and the Shinko and KG took only two years. Small crops, but the bottom line is that it doesn’t take very long for Asian pears to begin producing - much sooner than E. pears.
I have had a five in one Euro pear for six years now and only one branch of Seckel blossomed at second leaf. Nothing since then. Lost two of the grafts during this past harsh winter. I look forward to my new Asian pears.
Mrs. G.
If your space is limited, buy only Korean Giant. I can give you scionwood of a few other A. pears that I have. I personally would recommend against Shinko. I know people in another part of the country like it. It’s not worth my time for me. Small, bland fruit. It’s billed for Fire blight resistant. It is not good hear. I removed the tree.
My understanding is that E. pears usually takes a lot longer to fruit. The exception would be the Harrow series. I have Harrow Sweet started fruiting in year 2. It’s a wonderful E. pear.