The Asian pear tree, also commonly known as apple pear or Chinese pear, is a fruit tree that produces large, juicy pears. Hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9, Asian pear trees grow best in temperate regions, preferring full sunlight and tolerating a variety of soils, as long as they have decent drainage.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Pyrus pyrifolia is a species of pear tree native to southern China and northern Indochina that has been introduced to Korea, Japan and other parts of the world. The tree’s edible fruit is known by many names, including Asian pear, Persian pear, Japanese pear, Chinese pear, Korean pear, Taiwanese pear, apple pear, zodiac pear, three-halves pear, papple, naspati and sand pear.
Along with cultivars of P. × bretschneideri and Pyrus ussuriensis, the fruit is also called the nashi pear. Cultivars derived from Pyrus pyrifolia are grown throughout East Asia, and in other countries such as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Traditionally in East Asia the tree’s flowers are a popular symbol of early spring, and it is a common sight in gardens and the countryside.
The fruits are not generally baked in pies or made into jams because they have a high water content and a crisp, grainy texture, very different from the European varieties. They are commonly served raw and peeled. The fruit tends to be quite large and fragrant. When carefully wrapped, having a tendency to bruise because of its juiciness, it can last for several weeks (or more) in a cold, dry place.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
The Asian pear tree grows best in full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days. Find the most open and sunny area of your garden with good airflow.
Temperature and Humidity
Asian pears are winter-hardy throughout the South. In order to fruit, they require a certain number of chill hours, or total hours in winter when the temperature is below 45 degrees. For that reason, Asian pears cannot successfully be grown in a tropical climate. Some varieties will fruit as far south as zone 8, while others will fruit in zone 9. Choose a variety that is known for performing well in your zone.
Asian pears bloom earlier in spring than European pears, which means flower buds can be lost to a cold snap. Don’t plant your tree at the bottom of a hill where cold air can drain and create a frost pocket.
Watering
Water well when first planting and while the tree is getting established. In general, pear trees do best with an inch of water a week. Check the soil first; if it’s moist, the tree does not need water. Larger, more established trees require less watering but should be watered during dry spells.
Soil
Asian pear trees prefer deep, well-drained, fertile, loamy soil, but can adapt to other soils. Have your soil tested with the local extension office before planting to ensure a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. They will recommend the appropriate amendments if your soil is too alkaline. Heavy clay soils should be amended with one-third peat or coco fiber for drainage. Soils with poor fertility can be compensated for by fertilizing annually. Don’t plant your tree where the soil is frequently wet.
To plant, dig a hole slightly wider and deeper than the rootball, loosening the soil in the process. When planting bare-root dwarf trees, the graft union must be 2 to 3 inches above the soil line so that the tree will maintain its size. Standard-size trees can be planted with the graft union at or just below the soil line.
Fertilizing
It’s always best to have your soil tested before applying fertilizer so that you can provide the correct balance of nutrients. If you have fertile soil, a layer of compost and mulch could provide all the nutrients your tree needs. You can feed your pear trees with a fertilizer such as Ferti-lome Fruit, Citrus, and Pecan Tree Food, but in some cases this may add too much nitrogen to your soil, encouraging leafy green growth at the expense of flowers. Add fertilizer once a year in early spring.
Pruning
Prune your tree over the winter while it’s dormant. Young Asian pears will likely need pruning to encourage good shape. And mature trees need pruning to remove dead, damaged, or overgrown branches. Thin the canopy by about 10 to 20 percent, eliminating branches crossing or growing at odd angles. This will improve air circulation and allow sunlight to hit all parts of the tree. Remove diseased branches at any time.
Propagation
Asian pears can be propagated from seed or grafting with scions (cuttings). Grafting is a technically challenging process that is best left to advanced horticulturists. However, you can attempt it with a compatible rootstock (tree or a stem with a well-developed root system). Compatible rootstocks include other Asian pear trees, European pear trees, and quince.
Whip and tongue grafting (also known as bench grafting) is the best technique for spring grafting with Asian pear trees.
Grafting is when you take a stem cutting from one plant (pencil thickness) and attempt to get the root plant to accept the scion (cutting) and join its vascular system to the cutting specimen. This technique involves joining wood of equal or nearly equal diameter. The vascular system from the rootstock will nourish the scion (cutting), helping the plant grow true to its variety or cultivar. Here’s how to do it:
- You will need a sharp knife, plastic film, and grafting or masking tape to seal the graft.
The scion or cutting can be 6 inches to one foot long. Trim the top just above the topmost bud on the scion. Cut the bottom off just above a bud. This bottom cut should be 1.5 inches long on a diagonal. - Next, on the rootstock several inches above the top root, make a smooth cut approximately about 1.5 inches long on a diagonal with a single knife stroke.
- The second cut is the tongue cut. This cut involves making a v-notch, cutting down into the center of the rootstock parallel to the grain of the wood (vertical cut). Mirror this on the scion stock. Next, join the two pieces like two hands talking to each other, then clasping shut on each other, only vertically. The two pieces should be pushed firmly together, snugly, ensuring a good fit.
- Wrap the new graft union with plastic film and grafting or masking tape, giving the union a good seal.
- In about three to eight weeks, the two parts should grow together. Allow the tree to grow in its place for a couple of years before transplanting it.
How to Grow From Seed
When planting Asian pear seeds, note that they require cold germination or a cold period before germination. If you have a climate with a cold, winter season, you can plant the seed in the fall. To prepare the seeds, remove any fruit pieces on the seed and allow the seed to air dry.
If your seeds have not received a chilling period, place them in a sealed container with moistened peat moss, sand, or shredded paper and place in a refrigerator for 60 days. Plant the seed outdoors after the last severe spring frost. Here’s how to sow the seeds:
- Make a hole in the planting site or growing container about one to two times the longest dimension of the seed.
- Cover the seed with a light soil cover and an inch or two of sand. Sand prohibits the soil from crusting, which inhibits germination.
- If planting outdoors, prevent squirrels or other animals from digging up the seed by placing a wire screen or hardware cloth over the seed.
- In April, look for any germinated seedlings. Remove the wire screen or hardware cloth when you notice any growth. Seedlings usually take about three years before they bear any fruit.
Potting And Repotting
A dwarf tree can be grown in a large container with drainage holes. Look for a pot that is at least 18 inches wide and slightly wider than the tree’s existing pot.
Plant the tree at the same level as its nursery pot. Use a potting mix formulated for fruit trees, or a high-quality potting mix with some compost mixed. Loosen or cut any circling roots before planting to prevent girdling. Fill around the tree with soil, then add a layer of mulch to preserve moisture. Young trees should be staked.
Potted trees will need more frequent watering and fertilizing, especially in summer. Repot your tree once it has outgrown its container or about every three years. Potted trees also are more susceptible to frost damage in winter. If you live in Zone 5 or 6, the tree will need to be protected from cold temperatures.
Overwintering
Most all young trees can benefit from tree wraps or tree guards in the first few years of growth until the bark becomes thick or scaly. These wraps prevent sunscald when the sun heats the tree surface on a cold, wintery day. The tree thinks dormancy is over, unfreezing and kick-starting growth again. However, in the next immediate freezing cycle, the tree is no longer protected in a dormant state, and parts of the tree get damaged or die.
Hard plastic wraps also might keep deer away from your young trees. Young pear and apple trees are favored by browsing deer. Plastic tree guards can be removed for the growing season and put back on in the fall.
Pests and Diseases
Most Asian pear trees are at least somewhat susceptible to fire blight. Bacteria infect the tree during warm weather by entering through wounds on the tree. Entry points can be created by wind damage, hail, pruning, or insects. Symptoms include weeping from cankers in the bark, scorched-looking leaves and shoots, and dark and shriveled fruit. If the infection is in the trunk, the tree will eventually die.
In the South, choosing fire-blight-resistant varieties for your garden is the best course of action. Prune diseased twigs and branches of an infected tree in late winter, cutting 4-8 inches beyond affected areas. Sterilize pruning tools with a 10% bleach solution between each cut. In spring, don’t use a high-nitrogen fertilizer or water the tree. This will reduce the amount of new growth, which is most susceptible to the bacteria.
Leaf spot can appear as small purplish-brown spots on leaves and fruit. Remove and dispose of them in the trash, not the compost pile. Fungicides are not always effective, so contact your local extension office for advice if you are concerned.
Pear trees don’t usually have serious insect problems or require spraying. Pear slugs and other large insects like Japanese beetles can be picked off by hand and dropped in a can of soapy water. The pear psylla is an orangey-brown, winged, jumping insect that feeds on sap, leaving a residue that can cause sooty mold. Control with insecticidal soap. Soft-bodied aphids that collect on the underside of leaves can be sprayed off with a strong stream of water or controlled with insecticidal soap. Problematic caterpillar infestations can be sprayed with Bt.
Deer and rodents may want to nibble on the tree. Tree guards and cages can help prevent damage to the bark of young trees.
III. Types Of Asian Pear Trees
Fall is a great time to plant Asian pears. Look for pear trees at your local nursery, or order online from Just Fruits and Exotics, Petals From the Past, and Stark Bros. The size of your pear tree will vary based on whether it is grafted to standard (at least 20 feet tall), semi-dwarf (12-15 feet tall), or dwarf (10 feet tall) rootstock. Many trees that are labeled as dwarf are actually semi-dwarf, so read the fine print. Here are a few popular disease-resistant varieties for growing in the South:
- ‘Shinko’: Brown, medium-to-large fruit ripens from late July to mid-August, high fire blight resistance
- ‘Korean Giant’: Brownish olive green fruit is large to very large, can weigh up to a pound, ripens from late August to mid- to late-September, high fire blight resistance
- ‘Ya Li’: Classic yellow-green pear color, ripens in September, moderate fire blight resistance, low chill requirement makes it a good option for farther south
- ‘Chojuro’: Golden-brown skin, notable for its butterscotch flavor, ripens in August, some fire blight resistance
IV. Harvesting and Storage
Depending on the variety and species, asian pear takes 3 to 10 years to bear fruits, and the fruits mature by mid-summer to fall. Pears should be harvested when they are mature, but not ripe. They will ripen in storage. An easy way to do this is to put them together with fruits like bananas and apples, since ethylene that those fruits give out can accelerate the ripening. Unripe fruit can be stored in cool temperatures around 4 ℃ in the dark, without any light, for 1 to 2 months. After ripening, the fruit is usually consumed fresh or is processed by drying, pureeing, and canning, depending on your purpose and preference.
