The Asian pear tree (Pyrus pyrifolia) is in the Rosaceae family tree, like plums and peaches, and is a prolific tree, producing many fruits each season. These are relatively newer fruits introduced to the United States in the early 1800s, but they’re growing in popularity. They’re sweet, crisp, ripen on trees, halting ripening as soon as they’re picked, and lasting up to five months in the refrigerator. The trees are pest-resistant, easy to care for, and Asian pears can be harvested in two to three years.
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 P. 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 Asian pear produces copper-colored, rounded fruits a few inches long. The fruits are juicy like a pear but crunchy like an apple—hence why they are sometimes called “papples.” They can be eaten raw or cooked. The tree features dense green foliage in a pyramidal or rounded shape. The foliage turns a red or burgundy color in the fall. And showy cup-shaped flowers appear in the spring, stretching around one to three inches. This tree has a reasonably quick growth rate and is best planted in the spring after any danger of frost has passed.
II. 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
III. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Site your tree in a sunny spot with at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight. Consider whether large trees or buildings will block the sun before you plant your tree. Give dwarf trees at least 6 feet of space from other plants for good light and full-sized pears about 12 to 15 feet.
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
Asian pear is a plant that prefers moderate moisture, with its roots never liking to dry out completely. Native to East Asia, it thrives in regions where rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year. This plant requires watering once every two weeks to maintain its health and vitality. As a deciduous tree, asian pear enters dormancy during winter, which reduces its water needs significantly.
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.
Fertilizing
Nourishing asian pear with a balanced fertilizer supports robust growth, augments fruit yield, and bolsters overall health. Apply a complete, balanced fertilizer (N-P-K ratio near 10-10-10) annually in early spring before new growth. Gradual-release formulas are ideal. Adjust applications based on soil testing; asian pear thrives with proper nutrient balance. Over-fertilization may harm asian pear, so adhere to recommended amounts. During active growth, supplement with additional nitrogen, but cease fertilization two months before typical first frost to prevent tender growth that could be damaged by cold. Always water asian pear post-fertilization to aid nutrient absorption and minimize root burn risks.
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.
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 the 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.
Overwintering
Most 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.
How to Get to Bloom
If your tree isn’t blooming, sun exposure or the health of the tree could be the issue. A late frost can also kill flower buds, so weather may be the culprit. The tree must have adequate chill hours, and a mild winter could affect flowering. Asian pear trees can take two or three years to settle in after planting to produce the first harvest.
Annual pruning in winter helps to encourage blooms. Increase light exposure if needed, and take steps to improve your tree’s health if it isn’t thriving. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers in the future, unless soil testing indicates it is needed.
Pests and Disease
Common Pests & Plant 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.
Common Problems
The thin bark of young pear trees can sometimes be affected by sunscald. With very intense sun exposure, the bark can split, allowing diseases to enter. Wrapping the trunk of a young tree with white cloth or a white tree guard will protect it.
IV. Uses and Benefits
Due to their relatively high price and the large size of the fruit of cultivars, the pears tend to be served to guests, given as gifts, or eaten together in a family setting.
In cooking, ground pears are used in vinegar- or soy sauce-based sauces as a sweetener, instead of sugar. They are also used when marinating meat, especially beef, with a notable example being in the Korean dish bulgogi, due to the presence of enzymes to tenderize the proteins in the meat.
In Australia, these pears were first introduced into commercial production beginning in 1980.
In Japan, fruit is harvested in Chiba, Ibaraki, Tottori, Fukushima, Tochigi, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama and other prefectures, except Okinawa. Nashi (梨) may be used as a late Autumn kigo, or “season word”, when writing haiku. Nashi no hana (梨の花, pear flower) is also used as a kigo of spring. At least one city (Kamagaya-Shi, Chiba Prefecture) has the flowers of this tree as an official city flower.
In Nepal (Nepali: Naspati नस्पाती) and the Himalayan states of India, they are cultivated as a cash crop in the Middle Hills between about 1,500 and 2,500 metres (5,000 and 8,000 ft) in elevation, where the climate is suitable. The fruit are carried to nearby markets by human porters or, increasingly, by truck, but not for long distances because they bruise easily.
In Taiwan, pears harvested in Japan have become luxurious presents since 1997 and their consumption has jumped.
In China, the term “sharing a pear” (Chinese: 分梨; pinyin: fēn lí) is a homophone of “separate” (simplified Chinese: 分离; traditional Chinese: 分離; pinyin: fēnlí), as a result, sharing a pear with a loved one can be read as a desire to separate from them.
In Korea, the fruit is known as bae (배), and it is grown and consumed in great quantity. In the South Korean city of Naju, there is a museum called The Naju Pear Museum and Pear Orchard for Tourists (나주 배 박물관 및 배밭 관광체험).
In Cyprus, the pears were introduced in 2010 after initially being investigated as a new fruit crop for the island in the early 1990s. They are currently grown in Kyperounta.
V. 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.