Pear
Botanical Name: Pyrus spp.
Ayers
High quality small fruit with few grit cells. Good fire blight resistence. Best adapted to northern two-thirds of state. Pollinator recommended. (ns) Excellent dessert quality, although not as good as Warren. Medium-sized fruit with a brown russet and red blush. Ripens in August. Highly resistant to fire blight. (ag)
Recommended by ag, mg, ns, og
Garber
Good dessert quality with medium to large, crisp textured, attractive fruit of a shape similar to Delicious apples. Ripens in August. Good to fair fire blight resistance. Often called apple-pear or pear-apple. (ag)
Recommended by ag, mg, og
Kieffer
Old popular variety. Fruit hard, of fair quality. Fruit requires after ripening (should be wrapped in paper and stored at room temperature for 2 to 4 weeks). Good fire blight resistence. Good in northern three-fourths of state. Pollinator recommended. (ns) Old standard of pears, coarse textured fruit that are poor to fair for dessert usage, but good for canning and baking. A consistent, heavy bearer that ripens late September to October, highly resistant to fire blight. (ag)
Recommended by mg, ns, og, tf
LeConte
Very high quality fruit with excellent texture. Good fresh, also preserved. Quite susceptible to fire blight, so should be planted only in western part of Texas. Pollinator required. (ns) Good dessert quality, medium-sized, attractive fruit that ripens in August to early September. Fair fire blight resistance. Fan-Stil, a variety sold and propagated in the San Antonio area, appears to be a LeConte seedling with very similar quality and reported better fire blight resistance. (ag)
Recommended by mg, ns, og
Maxine
Medium-sized fruit of good quality for fresh eating. Good fire blight resistence. Vigorous tree, recommend for northern half of Texas. Pollinator recommended. (ns) Very good dessert quality with medium to large, attractive fruit. Good to fair fire blight resistance. Ripens in August to early September. Reported to be the same pear as Starking Delicious. (ag)
Recommended by ag, mg, ns, og
Moonglow
Newer variety with good fire blight resistance. Fruit has good texture and flavor. Bears at early age. Self-fertile, also make good pollinator variety. (ns) Good dessert quality with medium to large fruit that ripens in August to early September. Good fire blight resistance. (ag)
Recommended by mg, ns, og
Orient
Highly resistant to fire blight. One of the best pears for Texas, large fruit of good quality. Reliable producer. Attractive landscape tree. Good in northern three-fourths of state. Pollinator recommended. (ns) Fair dessert quality, coarse textured, russeted, medium to large fruit. A consistent, heavy bearer that ripens late August to September. Highly resistant to fire blight. Used primarily for canning and baking. (ag)
Recommended by ag, mg, ns, og, tf
Magness
Excellent dessert quality with medium-sized fruit similar to Warren. Ripens in August. Highly resistant to fire blight. (ag)
Recommended by ag
Monterrey
Good dessert quality with large fruit that ripens in August to early September. Good fire blight resistance. Propagated and sold chiefly in the San Antonio area. (ag)
Recommended by ag, og
Tenn
Recommended by mg
Warren
Recommended by ag, mg
Asian Pears
Asian pears are relatively new to Texas and are suggested for trial only. Fire blight tolerance ranges from moderate to fair and Asian pears do not have proven adaptation in any part of Texas. They combine an apple-like texture with pear flavor. All are very juicy, but some varieties are proving to be a disappointment because of their rather bland flavor. Asian pears begin to mature two to four weeks earlier, usually around July in Central Texas, than the common Oriental hybrid varieties. Asian pears are not to be confused with Garber, one of the Oriental hybrids listed. Garber and the Asian pears are both sometimes called apple-pears or pear-apples because of their apple-like shape and texture. Suggested varieties are: Hosui, Twentieth Century (Nijisseiki), and Shinseiki. (ag) Recommended by ag, og
Hosui
Recommended by ag
Twentieth Century (Nijisseiki)
Recommended by ag
Shinseiki
Recommended by ag
REFERENCES
SOURCES
- Texas Pecan Nursery, P.O. Box 306, Chandler, TX 75758, 903-849-6203. Has Ayers, Keiffer, LeConte, Moonglow, and Orient pear trees.
