Here’s a nice link with a video presentation by a Dr Christopher Walsh regarding Asian pears as a commercial crop. Although it’s targeting commercial growers, there is relevant information about fire blight resistance. There are also references therein with information about productivity, and fruit characteristics. I’m not sure if anyone has ever posted this before. Just something for y’all to enjoy now that the growing season is coming to a close.
Here is a typed out version for those who really like reading.
An interesting takeaway from all this is if I want to grow a Magness pear, then I can plant Asian pears as pollinators and enjoy their fruit while waiting who knows how long for this Magness pear to come into bearing.
Odd no one has mentioned shinseiki. They have been bullet proof against everything but bees for me. And they have a different taste from the bronze pears.
You know shinseiki was a good pear this year for me. The first year I did not like them at all. For whatever reason that’s true of nearly any pear at my location the first year they are not that great. My suspicion is its because my soil is not that great. I’m really glad you brought this pear up!
Thanks. My reading of the 2nd document points to Shinko. Productivity is #1, appearance / taste / texture is #1-2, fire blight resistance is good. It ripens 9/11 in MD, which probably implies late Sept here. That’s not saying that it’s the single best tasting, but Shinko seems to earn “overall best” here.
In my area drippin honey is the hands down best Asian pear. I thought Korean Giant might replace it but it has a lot of rot issues. The good news is drippin honey is a summer pear and Korean Giant a late fall pear. I picked the last one yesterday. Kosui ripens earlier as well so between those 3 I’m very happy. It’s worth pointing out drippin honey can Crack on certain years. I’ve grown it for many years but rarely had the issue in Kansas. Thought it was from to much water but that has not been the case this year. Drippin' Honey Asian Pear Kosui Asian pear Korean Giant Asian pear
Unfortunately I’m not growing every Asian pear so this list could change soon enough.
I think @mamuang had a bad experience with Shinko growing it in MA. Some pears really do vary in performance depending on specific regions. For example, Hosui is delicious for me in PA, but underperformed at Clark’s location in KS.
EDIT: Hosui is also mentioned as being fire blight susceptible in the research observations, but mine has never had a strike here. Your mileage may vary very much so applies.
I’ll give a plug for Korean Giant and Drippin Honey. They are good!
It actually goes both ways here. Hosui is truly a good pear here half the time. @39thparallel would certainly have it on his favorites list. Sometimes the sand paper skin and blan taste are prominent and other times it has a good taste and you say why don’t I grow more? Perhaps I need to grow more hosui and take the good years with the bad. If I review hosui after a bad year my disposition about that crop overshadows reality. Your absolutely right it’s not just about location but also age of the tree. An older tree typically makes better pears.
I have Shinko for a few years, the fruit were not tasty and small. Other east coast grower like @BobVance had the same experience. People further inland have been impressed with Shinko.
OK, thx. What kind of issues? Right now, my only Asian pear is Shinko. I planted it in 2018 based on good reviews and reported resistance to FB.
The tree is still young – finishing its 4th season. This year it produced a modest crop, which tasted fine. The only evident problem was some cracking. I suppose that I have some curiosity about other varieties but one tree will undoubtedly supply more than we need, even accounting for give-aways.
@mamuang – The variety reportedly bears very heavily. I can imagine that it might need thinning. Did you get have fruiting and, if so, did you thin? Thanks.
Many Asian pears set heavily and need to thin 80% (or more) out to get good size fruit. Maybe, I did not wait long enough. Fruit quality can improve as trees mature. My Shinko fruited for 3 years yielding smallish fruit with ordinary taste. I removed it.
I’ve only had minor issues with pear blister mites. This doesn’t seem to noticeably affect tree performance though. Fire blight has only ever affected one called Jilin and that was minor. One thing I noticed is I don’t like a variety called Chojuro grown here but a lot of members love it. The texture is coarse in my opinion. Everything else I’ve grown is productive, and delicious.
EDIT: I notice some varieties with smoother skin get more stink bug damage or that I assume is stink bug damage. There are craters in the fruit with hard gritty tissue underneath the skin in those areas. Drippin Honey was most affected followed by Chojuro and Korean Giant. Shin Li and Jilin while being non-russeted were mostly spared. This mostly is just an aesthetic issue, since the fruit doesn’t seem to spoil any faster. I just cut the damaged part out.
korean Giant tastes better, larger and blight tolerant here. I have it for 12 years now. You live next door. It would be good for you too. I can send you scionwood.
In no way am I complaining, but I wanted to make the observation that it seems like Asian pears may be the most region specific fruit for quality of crop I’ve read about yet on the forum, barring issues with zone hardiness/heat tolerance with things like persimmon and honeyberries. That being said, I’m guessing that my best bets in western PA if I want to try growing them would be following in @PharmerDrewee’s footsteps for choices based on my proximity compared to everyone else’s success and challenges.
@mamuang – Thanks. I really appreciate the offer, but let me think about it. I’ll make a note to myself then PM you in winter when I’m more organized. Remind me – where are you? I see “Central M” which I assume is roughly Worcester? I’m in Bristol RI.
Shinseiki, Chojuro, and Yongi do really well for me in NE OH, probably an hour or so from you. Shinseiki is probably the best of the lot. Thinner skin, and earlier than the rest but doesn’t keep well. I also have Kosui, Hosui and Nijeseiki. They are good as well, barely a notch below.
OHxF97 seems to produce good vigor. I have a Shin Li on it that grows gangbusters, and had many nice fruit this year. I only have 2 of the same Asian pear on different rootstocks. I have a Korean Giant on OHxF333 and another on OHxF87. The one on OHxF87 had more large fruit despite being a couple years younger, and was equally thinned.