Treasure Pear

This an extremely rare pear I’m wondering if anyone else is growing? I’m hoping it produces fruit next year. I acquired it from Singing tree but, I would have to write him to ask about it. The tree is very healthy so, I grafted some trees for the nursery thinking it was a much more common variety at the time. I have a few for sale if anyone wants to roll the dice on it. Below is what little information I was able to compile for my website:

Origin:
Developed in Moldova (Eastern Europe, between Ukraine and Romania)

Description:
We have not been growing this variety long enough to produce fruit and there is no information available on growing it in the US. Bred from crosses of French varieties Triumph of Vienna and Olivier de Serres it may also be know as “Parisian”. The fruit is described as large, russeted, very sweet with a little acidity. The trees are said to be small in other online descriptions but, that may be because it’s grown on a quince stock in Europe.

Uses: Fresh Eating, Cooking, Wine, Canning
Flavor: Sweet, Slightly Acidic
Fruit Size: Large
Pollination: Requires another pear variety.
Ripens: ?
Keeps Probably keeps well in Cold Storage.
Fireblight: Unknown, Likely Susceptible, No infection observed to date.
USDA Zones: 5-8?

6 Likes

I’ve only ever saw the pear tree show up in Kansas. The one other orchard who could get it (most likely from the same source) was wagon wheel nursery 2017 - The best selection of pears in years!. The pear is exceedingly rare. On the website Wagon Wheel Orchard note the * in the name typical only of an ultra rare variety on that website. They are very likely out of or very limited on bench grafts.

2 Likes

@clarkinks We need to write to Singing Tree and see what we can gleam about some of the ultra rare varieties he has that might stand up to our growing conditions.

2 Likes

I saw the wagon wheel website said " We will only be grafting pears in 2019 if we get over 100 trees ordered - Pears on OHxF87." . Usually their minimum order is 10 bengraft trees. Thought 100 was unusual which means they are not getting many pear orders or they are expecting every order to be very large im not sure which. If anyone makes an order i would call and find out what to expect this year.

I don’t think Wagon Wheel actually grows all the varieties they offer as benchgrafts.

1 Like

No i dont think they grow them there either. When i drove by it looked like a small orchard. Maybe there is more in the back i couldnt see

1 Like

Apparently, the pear nobody has heard of “Treasure” comes from a land no-one has heard of “Moldova” and a country that doesn’t exist “Transnistria” or “Pridnestrovie”.

Can’t help but think that the pear that came from there must be tough as nails after watching this video:

1 Like

@39thparallel
Im sure you read this article already but if not and for the benefit of others https://en.yellowbreadshorts.com/5122-pear-treasure-characteristics-pros-and-cons.html
" Treasure pear: characteristics, pros and cons

“Treasure” is a new autumn high-yielding pear variety.

In this article, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the description of this type of pear, discuss its pros and cons, and also learn some important rules for caring for a tree.

  • Inference history
  • Tree description
  • Fruit Description
  • Lighting Requirements
  • Soil requirements
  • Pollination
  • Fruiting
  • Gestation period
  • Yield
  • Transportability and storage
  • Disease and Pest Resistance
  • Frost resistance
  • Use of fruits
  • Advantages and disadvantages
    • pros
    • Minuses

Inference history

“Treasure” - an innovation of the southern selection. The variety was obtained at the Moldavian Scientific Research Institute of Horticulture, Viticulture and Wine-Making. Moldavian scientist-breeder K. K. Dushutina cultivated the variety. Two French types were chosen as the base: large-fruited “Triumph of Vienna” and winter “Olivier de Serres” . A significant proportion of qualitative data and species properties was acquired by a new species from the French “relatives”, therefore the variety is often called “Parisian” .

This pear has performed well in Moldova and in the forest-steppe of Ukraine.The variety is cultivated successfully and researchers from Belarus.

Tree description

The tree is short, the maximum height is 2 meters. The bark on the part of the trunk from the root collar to the first skeletal branch of the lower tier of the crown, and also on the main branches has a scaly, dark gray color. The foliage itself is wide-pyramidal. Frame branches develop from the trunk of a tree almost at a right angle; the ends of the branches go upwards.

Stems have an average thickness. In color the stems are olive-yellow. Numerous large yellowish tubercles can be observed on the stems. Foliage has an average omission. Egg-shaped sheet plate (pointed at the end), matte surface. Light green stalks in length and thickness are found large or medium in size.

An individual feature of the structure of “Treasure” is an extensive rhizome. In fruit trees, the diameter of the underground part is approximately equal to the diameter of the above-ground. In this type of pear, the root system grows more than crown 2.5 times. Based on this, adjustment of agrotechnical procedures is required - digging, watering and fertilizing.

Creating your pear garden, pay attention to the varieties of the favorite Yakovleva, Cathedral, Rossoshanskaya, Bergamot, Duchess, Lada, Severyanka, Nika, Elena, Fairy Tale, Otradnenskaya, Avgustovskaya dew.

Fruit Description

The main achievement of the breeder Dushutina are the fruits of the tree - they are quite large, and the taste is very sweet. The fruits are one-dimensional, the weight of each pear is about 200-290 g. Often the weight of the fruit reaches 300 g, sometimes there are giants weighing up to 500 g (on the quince rootstock).

The stem is short, curved, not too thick. The pear is wide-conical, has the standard form of an extended cone. However, their surface is uneven, with bumps. The skin is thick and dense. When ripe, the light green skin brightens and becomes almost yellow.

On the skin, you can see rusty areas (spots and streaks). Such areas, if formed, are light, orange tones. The pulp on the texture of oily, soft, white with yellowness, with a large concentration of juice. Taste excellent, sweet, sweet with a slight sourness.

Lighting Requirements

“Treasure” belongs to the light-loving trees. With a lack of light, the tree is weakly formed, its yield is reduced. The degree of light also affects the biological quality of the plant.The maximum requirement for coverage “Parisian” makes in the phase of budding and the formation of fruits, the smallest - in the rest stage. The consequence of a lack of light is the underdevelopment of flower buds.

Soil requirements

Pear “Treasure” usually develops on kolchatka. But if you want to reveal the high potential of the plant, it is necessary to use nutritious, well-warmed and sufficiently hydrated soils, including lightweight ones, for cultivation.

“Parisian” grows better on slightly acidic and neutral soils. Organic and mineral nutrients also have a positive effect on tree growth and fruiting.

Important! In dry weather, the application of top dressing certainly needs to be combined with irrigation.

Pollination

Treasure is not a self-fertilizing tree . In order for a pear to be pollinated, it is necessary to plant pollinators next to it. In the role of pollinators fit plants that bloom in the early stages. The best pollinators in this case are the following varieties of pears: “Conference”, “Klapp’s Pet”, “Motley July”, “Bere Mlievskaya”, “Williams”, “Thawing”, “Josephine Mechelnskaya”, “Dekanc du Comis”.

Fruiting

Variety can not be counted among skoroplodnymi. In the fruiting tree enters the fourth year after planting. And the excellent fruits promised by the sellers of saplings, you will wait 5-7 years after planting. After this period, the tree is already bearing fruit regularly and generously.

As gardeners notice, a young plant blooms very luxuriantly and abundantly, sometimes even a second time, and it is surprising not to observe a similar abundant fruiting.

Gestation period

In terms of ripening “Treasure” is an early variety. Pears ripen in the fall. Fruits ripen synchronously, on the branches are kept very firmly, almost without falling off. The removable maturity of pears falls in the middle of September, and consumer maturity - a little later, at the beginning of October.

Yield

Vintage pear tree gives a high and stable, without intervals. “Treasure” rather quickly increases the harvest. Up to 100 kg of fruits can be obtained from a single 10-year-old plant.

Did you know? Before Christopher Columbus brought tobacco leaves to the European continent, Europeans massively smoked pear leaves.

Transportability and storage

As for marketability and transportability, the variety has also proven itself well.The fruits of the Treasure are distinguished by good keeping quality, pears retain their organoleptic properties for quite a long time.

Depending on the conditions, fruits can be stored well until January-February and even longer. They are stored in the refrigerator until November-December, without losing their taste characteristics. To keep the fruits even longer, transfer them to cool rooms where the temperature is around 0 ° C and the humidity is about 85%. In such conditions, fruits retain their commercial quality until January.

Disease and Pest Resistance

Sort “Treasure” is very resistant to the development of various diseases and attacks of parasites. The pear is almost not affected by the scab; it is excellent in resisting pathogens of spotting, fruit rot, and bacterial cancer.

Important! In summer, pear trees require intensive watering, especially in areas with hot climatic conditions. The most optimal method of drip irrigation. In addition, from time to time it is necessary to rain the crown of the tree. This procedure will help wash away the dust from the leaves and protect the plant from possible attack by pests.

Frost resistance

Frost resistance is average. In the harsh winter (below -20 ° C) there is a chance of freezing, as a result of which the yield is greatly reduced in the current year.

The southern origin of the form is reflected in the fact that the tree is sufficiently susceptible to a decrease in temperature during the budding phase. The turning point in this period may be a value of +15 ° C (below this indicator, fertilization processes occur intermittently).

Use of fruits

“Treasure” is a dessert pear with delicate pulp. Its fruits are intended for fresh consumption.

Fresh fruit before use, it is desirable to clean the dense skin. However, try to remove the skin with a thin layer, since in the upper part of the pulp there are many vitamins and aromatic substances.

Advantages

Finally, we briefly summarize the advantages and possible disadvantages of the Treasure pear.

pros

  • Large beautiful fruits of excellent quality;
  • high yields (regular and abundant fruiting);
  • dessert (sweet) taste;
  • early bloom;
  • resistance to diseases (particularly scab).

Minuses

  • The requirements of the plant to the soil-climatic situation;
  • inability to self-pollinate;
  • low frost resistance.

Did you know? In ancient China, pear was considered a symbol of immortality. This was due to the incredible strength of wood. To meet a broken pear tree was a bad omen. If someone personally injured the plant, even unintentionally This meant that this man’s days are numbered.

By planting the Treasure pear in your garden, you will enjoy its beautiful fruits for many years. This tree will be a real find for your garden."

2 Likes

Sounds like a good one.

2 Likes

I did find that article. I would take most of the information from it on growing Treasure with a gran of salt. It says treasure is a small tree, growing to only 2 meters. I am assuming that it must be grown on Quince in Europe and will size up nicely on a standard rootstock? Do they mean Fireblight when they say excellent resistance to"bacterial cancer"?

Hopefully it will fruit for me in 2020. I think it was acquired from Richard Fahey / Singing Tree. I’m going to write him to see what information i can gleam about Treasure and other rare varieties he grows.

2 Likes

@39thparallel i suspect by now you have a great deal of information on the treasure pear. Give us an update when you have some free time. These ultra rare pears would likely be extinct if it wasn’t for orchards like yours and mine that grow a few of these obscure pears. I grow a couple that I do not know what they are.

Must be quite a producer. The article says a maximum of 6 foot tall and can produce 200lbs of pears.

@masbustelo as @39thparallel pointed out there are some concerns over the validity of the articles. I have raised a lot of pears and we know the tree would have no branches left on it if it was carrying that much fruit at that size. Much of the information out there about pears is completely false. I doubt there are more than 2-3 nurseries in the United States that grow this pear.

1 Like

The treasure tree looks healthy but, I’m still waiting on fruit. I didn’t notice any blooms. I have it espaliered so maybe next year. St Nicklas is another rare one I’m watching that should set fruit this year.

2 Likes

@39thparallel

Apparently I grafted one of yours at some point though the foliage is different from the photo. Does this look like yours?


I grafted Treasure last year. Not the best pear (there are better local varieties here in Ukraine), but good enough to keep in my collection.

3 Likes

@candyflipper
Here in the USA it’s a very rare pear. Do you have additional information about this variety by chance?

Description Pear Treasure

Pear Treasure is a medium late variety of Moldovan selection, with the taste of real southern pears. Large fruits appear on young seedlings of Treasure pear already 2-4 years after planting. A 5-7-year-old seedling already yields up to 15-20 kg of fruit. The treasure is distinguished by juicy pulp and delicate taste. The skin is greenish-yellow when ripe, strong, the fruits are well transported. The pear tree is a beautiful plant, and this variety has a peculiarity - young leaves are yellow-green. Plant other mid-late varieties nearby for pollination. The harvest period is the end of September. According to reviews, the best thing is to eat fresh pears, they are stored for up to 10 days, in the refrigerator - up to 40-60 days.

Description of Pear Treasure and Main Features:

  • the height and crown of mature trees are of medium size;
  • the growth rate of seedlings is good;
  • annual fruiting without “rest”, the older the seedling, the more generous the harvest;
  • fruits - golden, with “freckles” (rusty), blush may appear in the sun (see photo);
  • pulp - super-aromatic, juicy, moderately sweet;
  • according to reviews, winter hardiness of Treasure pear seedlings is reliable up to -30 ° С;
  • the variety needs additional pollinators, the Conference and Clapps Favorite varieties are suitable;
  • selection: Research Institute of Fruit Growing, author Dushutina K. (Moldova)

I can try and find out more info on it if you like.

2 Likes

Thank you some I may need to learn about it here by growing it. It seems it may be more delayed in fruiting here but time will tell.

1 Like

I think zone 6A should be suitable for this pear.
I would recommend you some other very interesting varieties as well. For example 3 in this article:

image
image
image
image
image


imageimage

7 Likes