European Pear

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iEuropean Pear

European Pear branch with fruit

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae
Subfamily:	Maloideae
Genus:	Pyrus
Species:	P. communis

Binomial name

Pyrus communis
L.

The European Pear Pyrus communis is a species of pear native to central and eastern Europe and southwest Asia. The European Pear is one of the most important fruits of temperate regions, being the species from which most orchard pear cultivars grown in Europe, North America and Australia are developed. Two other species of pear, the Nashi Pear Pyrus pyrifolia and the Chinese white pear [bai li], Pyrus x bretschneideri, are more widely used in eastern Asia.

Pear tree in flower

European Pear trees are not quite as hardy as Apples, but nearly so. They do however require some winter chilling to produce fruit.

For best and most consistent quality, European Pears are picked when the fruit matures, but before they are ripe. Fruit allowed to ripen on the tree often drops before it can be picked and in any event will be hard to pick without bruising. They store (and ship) well in their mature but unripe state if kept cold and can be ripened later. Some varieties ripen only with exposure to cold.

Fermented pear juice is called perry. The place name Perry can indicate the historical presence of pear trees.

[edit] Selected European Pear cultivars

'Ayres' (United States)
'Beurre d'Anjou' (France)
'Blake's Pride'
'Bosc' (Northwest United States)
'Conference' (England, 1894)
'Doyenne du Comice' (France, 1849; widely regarded as the best pear of all; also known as 'Comice')
'Dr Jules Guyot'
'Glou Morceau' (Belgium, 1750)
'Gorham' (United States)
'Harrow Delight' (Canada)
'Joséphine de Malines' (France)
'Kieffer' (United States)
'Laxton's Superb' (England; no longer used due to high susceptibility to Fireblight)
'Luscious' (United States)
'Merton Pride' (England, 1941)
'Orient' (United States)
'Packham's Triumph' (Australia, 1896)
'Pineapple' (United States)
'Red Bartlett' (United States)
'Summer Beauty'
'Sudduth'
'Williams Bon Chrétien' (England, 1770; also known as 'Bartlett')