Walton's Plant Library

Other Names:  Common Pear

Description:

An excellent backyard orchard variety that produces sweet crisp yellow pears with russet-brown skins; fruit has a unique flavor combination of pear and pineapple; upright oval habit is very ornamental; highly resistant to fireblight; self pollinating

Edible Qualities

Pineapple Pear is a small tree that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces yellow oblong pears (which are botanically known as 'pomes') with brown overtones and creamy white flesh which are usually ready for picking from late summer to early fall. The pears have a sweet taste and a crisp texture.

The pears are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Baking
• Juice-Making

Features & Attributes

Pineapple Pear is clothed in stunning clusters of white flowers along the branches in early spring. It has forest green deciduous foliage. The glossy pointy leaves turn outstanding shades of yellow and red in the fall. The fruits are showy yellow pears with brown overtones, which are carried in abundance from late summer to early fall. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up.

This is a dense deciduous tree with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Messy
• Disease

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Pineapple Pear is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• General Garden Use
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Pineapple Pear will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. While it is considered to be somewhat self-pollinating, it tends to set heavier quantities of fruit with a different variety of the same species growing nearby.

This tree is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.