Chinese Pear, Japanese Pear, Asian Pear, Sand Pear, Nashi Fruit
Pyrus pyrifolia
Family: | Rosaceae (ro-ZAY-see-ee) (Info) |
Genus: | Pyrus (PY-russ) (Info) |
Species: | pyrifolia (py-rih-FOH-lee-uh) (Info) |
Synonym: | Pyrus serotina |

Category:
Trees
Water Requirements:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Foliage:
Grown for foliage
Deciduous
Foliage Color:
Orange/Apricot
Pink/Rose
Red
Height:
30-40 ft. (9-12 m)
Spacing:
30-40 ft. (9-12 m)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Where to Grow:
Grow outdoors year-round in hardiness zone
Danger:
Seed is poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color:
Pink
White/Near White
Bloom Characteristics:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Bloom Size:
Bloom Time:
Mid Spring
Other details:
Soil pH requirements:
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information:
Non-patented
Propagation Methods:
From semi-hardwood cuttings
Seed Collecting:
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Atmore, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
El Sobrante, California
Beverly Hills, Florida
Glen Saint Mary, Florida
Orange Springs, Florida
Sanderson, Florida
Spring Hill, Florida
Keansburg, New Jersey
Franklin Square, New York
Ballinger, Texas
Troup, Texas
North Sultan, Washington
Sultan, Washington
show allGardeners' Notes:
Rating | Content |
---|---|
Positive | On Oct 5, 2009, daesaflgatorfan from Sumter, SC wrote: These are long-lived trees, my 88 yr old uncle has one he planted as a teen, and it is still producing fruit. Like old apple trees, the middle of the tree can die and rot, leaving an opening through which you can reach your arm. This is the case of my uncle's tree. The fruit is great in baked desserts, and the trees withstand severe drought. |
Positive | On Aug 27, 2007, Hexham from Orange Springs, FL wrote: Although the tree gets rather large and the fruit small, the size of a baseball or smaller, texture hard as a rock, they make excelent canning pears. I have so far canned 20 quarts and the tree is still full, my tree is 20 years old. Later through the winter I use the canned fruit to make Apple pie, no one can tell the difference. Mine gets no special care,no feeding or spraying. The one and only problem is the Squirrels, one or two bites of a pear and they throw it down and start on a new one. |
Neutral | On Mar 28, 2006, escambiaguy from Atmore, AL (Zone 8b) wrote: I certainly agree with the last comment, eating too many raw pears will have you running to the bathroom. I have a tree in my backyard that was planted by my grandfather. It is older than I am (28). I can remember as a child eating pear cobbler. Even now, sometimes the tree will get so loaded with fruit that it breaks the branches. The deer love the pears. I see them in mid-day eating them off of the ground. Occasionally I find some thorny offspring in the woods that I have to cut down but I would not consider it as invasive as some other plants. |
Positive | On Jun 10, 2004, davidreese from Tampa, FL wrote: This tree is known to be prevalent in Mississippi, Alabama, and North West Florida. My grandfather had an orchard of these trees in Florida that dates back to the late 1800s. As they grew in sandy soil, and when cut open they looked like there was sand inside, they were called sand pears. Having grown up around these, I thought that pear shaped was round. To have more trees, after pruning simply place the limbs in the ground and water. I bury the limbs about 18 inches to 24 inches deep. I did the hole with the garden hose. The new tree will bear fruit in a few years. |
Positive | On Nov 12, 2003, noxiousweed from El Sobrante, CA (Zone 9b) wrote: We have a fabulous asian pear tree in our new back yard - they tend to grow straight up without pruning, and this is what has happened here. That's a shame (when you're picking fruit) but ... it's an easy tree and the fruit is fabulous. I'm not a pear fan, but these are an exceptional pear. |