The common pear ‘Comice’ (Pyrus communis ‘Comice’) is a dwarf cultivar of common pear (Pyrus communis) in terms of height, but produces fruit of the same size. These trees can also be found at normal pear-tree height as well. In French, the fruits are typically known as ‘Doyenné du Comice.’ The sweet fruit pairs well with French cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Considered to be the best-tasting pear, Pyrus communis ‘Comice’ is a dessert cultivar with a profusion of fragrant, creamy white flowers in mid-season (mid-spring). Draped in clusters along the branches, they are truly a sight to behold.
They are followed in the fall by a crop of very large, greenish-yellow pears often adorned with a red blush. They have a very rich flavor and are very juicy, buttery, and perfumed. Comice is self-fertile but requires pollination by a tree of another variety with the same bloom period such as Moonglow or Bartlett.
It grows up to 12-15 ft. tall (3-4 m) and 8-10 ft. wide (2-3 m) as a dwarf variety. Grows up to 15-20 ft. tall and wide (4-6 m) as a standard tree. The foliage of elliptic glossy green leaves turns pretty shades of red and yellow in fall. A vigorous pear tree, Comice produces moderate crops, although older trees crop more reliably. It is moderately resistant to fireblight. Beautiful in bloom, handsome in full leaf, heavy with luscious pears, attractive in fall, and picturesque in winter, pear trees are very rewarding additions to the landscape across the seasons.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Common pear ‘Comice’ needs full sun to produce a good fruit set, so plant it in an open, unshaded spot in the garden. At least 8 hours of full sunlight per day it should receive. Some species and cultivars of Pyrus can stand under partial shade as well.
Temperature
Common pear ‘Comice’ is cultivated widely in temperate and sub-tropical climatic conditions as it is resistant to both cold and heat. It can tolerate temperatures low as -26 ℃when it is dormant ( for some species and cultivars of genus Pyrus this can be even lower) and high as 45 ℃ in the growing season. Frost in spring is detrimental, and temperatures of 3 ℃ and less can kill open flowers, leading to fewer fruits.
It prefers medium or slightly dry conditions and demands little on humidity or watering. It is quite drought-tolerant once it established, but it may not be the case with waterlogging, so a site on higher ground or one not prone to waterlogging will be favorable for it.
Watering
As a drought-resistant plant, your common pear ‘Comice’ does not need additional watering unless suffering from a long period of drought with heat. Common pear ‘Comice’ should be watered when it is young during dry spells, as with pot plant. Generally, potted ones need 2.5 cm of water per week. If this is hard to measure, water deeply once you see the topsoil is dry and slightly whitish. Let it dry out between watering intervals and avoid frequent watering which can lead to root rot.
Soil
Common pear ‘Comice’ grows in a wide range of soils, even sandy or chalky soils, but however, loamy soil can be the best. It does well in soils that are well aerated and well-drained, which is why they sometimes need slopes. Common pear ‘Comice’ also likes slightly acidic to neutral soils (6.1-7.3), especially soil with a pH near 7, although some other species and cultivars can grow well in slightly alkaline soil.
Fertilizing
Manure and fertilizers should be applied each year early in spring. Be careful with nitrogen-rich fertilizer as overloaded nitrogen can lead to vulnerability to diseases. Common pear ‘Comice’ is prone to boron deficiency, which can result in cracked or pitted fruits. When symptoms are observed a spray of 0.1% boric acid can be applied. If the soil is fertile, use less fertilizer.
Planting Instructions
Growing conditions for common pear ‘Comice’ are fairly simple. It is not a fussy plant and not difficult to grow. You can start with a seedling purchased in a nearby nursery or online. Seedlings that are one year old can be transplanted into your garden where soils are well-drained in mid-winter. Space your trees 6 to 8 m apart to ensure air circulation.
Although some species can self-fertilize, you are recommended to plant at least two trees in the garden or orchard so that they can cross-pollinate to produce fruits. Notice that although different species and varieties can generally interbreed without compatibility issues, if you want to interbreed, ensure your trees are blooming at a similar time first.
If you want to grow your common pear ‘Comice’ in containers, you are recommended to choose dwarf cultivars. Choose a large container at least twice as big as the root ball of your tree. Fill the pot with soil after putting the tree inside. You can place the pot where under full sun then.
Pruning
The best time to prune common pear ‘Comice’ is when the tree is dormant from winter till early spring, after leaf fall and before bud-formation. The central leader method is popularly used, to reduce old woody growth that is not productive to improve yields of the fruit. Never remove more than 25% of branches. This can be applied to pot trees as well.
Propagation
There are various methods used to propagate common pear ‘Comice’. You can collect seeds from mature pears, and you are recommended to prepare more seeds as the germination rate is low. Dry the seeds, wrap in wet paper towels in groups of 3, put the towels in seal bags, and place them in a dark but warm place to germinate. You can check every 15 days to see if you need to wet the towel again. Plant those germinating seeds in pots and place them where sunny and warm. Keep the soil moist and wait for them to grow until you can transplant them into your garden.
If you think this is complicated, sow the seeds directly in the ground in winter also works. However, you can expect an even lower germination rate.
You can also do the grafting. Buy a rootstock for grafting if you are aiming at fruits. Grow your rootstock with seedlings. Grafting is best done from late winter to early spring.
Transplanting
Common pear ‘Comice’ thrives when transplanted from early to late spring. This period ensures optimal growth in a sunny location with well-drained soil. To minimize stress, transplant mature with care, considering spacing to accommodate full growth.
Pests and Diseases
Keep an eye out for aphids, caterpillars, codling moth, pear blister mite, pear midge and pear, cherry slugworm, pear scab, pear rust, brown rot, blossom wilt, and fireblight.
III. Harvesting and Storage
Depending on the variety and species, common pear ‘Comice’ 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.
