common pear

Also known as: achras; choke pear; wild pear

A large, columnar, occasionally thorny, deciduous tree with glossy, dark green leaves. Clusters of white flowers are produced in mid-spring, followed by edible, pear-shaped to spherical, green to yellow fruit up to 10cm long. Many cultivated varieties of pear have been developed from this species; the trees are generally smaller, and unlikely to be thorny

Scientific classification

Species: common pear (Pyrus communis)
Genus: Pyrus
Family: Rosaceae

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Toxicity: Fruit Edible · Trees
Plant type: Higher than 12 metres
Height: wider than 8 metres
Spread: Deciduous
Foliage: Bushy
Habit: Spring · Summer · Autumn
Season of interest: Full sun
Sunlight: Information to be completed
Ideal temperature

common pear pictures

Distribution of common pear

Distribution map

Europe, Asia Minor.

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Culture

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Toxicity

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Quick identification of common pear

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common pear care guide

Moderate deep watering during dry periods, free drainage preferred
Watering: Full sun
Sunlight: Information to be completed
Ideal temperature

Watering

Moderate deep watering during dry periods, free drainage preferred

Fertilizing

Balanced shrub feed once in spring

Pruning

Thin fruit in late spring or early summer to improve size and quality. See fruit thinning. Regular pruning required; prune cordons and other restricted forms in summer and all trees in winter. Further pruning advice: pruning new pear trees, summer pear pruning, winter pear pruning, renovating pear trees, pruning established fans

Propagation

Propagate by grafting or budding onto a clonal rootstock for fruit. Fruit grown from pips will not normally resemble the parent

Growing

Needs a deep, fertile, moist but well-drained, fairly neutral soil in a sheltered, sunny position. Will not thrive on very acid soils, shallow chalk soils or with shade for more than half the day. See pear cultivation

More growing and care information →