Asian Pear Tree

Info

The Asian pear is a round fruit similar in shape and size to an apple, and is sometime called the apple pear. It has a crunch and texture similar to that of an apple, but retains more of the sweetness and flavor of a pear. It was once cultivated primarily in China and Japan, but became popular in US due to demand by immigrants from Asia.
The fruit are generally not baked in pies or made into jams because they have a high water content. They are commonly served raw and peeled. The fruit tends to be quite large and fragrant, it can last for several weeks or more in a cold, dry place.

Varieties

  • 20th Century

    Mid Season. Best known Asian pear. Medium size, apple-shaped, long stemmed, yellow fruit with greenish mottling. Thin, tender skin. Extremely juicy, crisp flesh; mild flavor. Excellent quality. Tree is of moderate vigor, upright and productive. Requires pollination.

  • Shinko

    Late Season. Medium size, oval, brownish green fruit. Firm, crisp, apple-like flesh with rich, sweet, distinctive flavor. Tree is a precocious, annual bearer. Requires pollination.

  • Shinseiki

    Mid Season. Round, medium to large, yellow fruit with little or no russet. Crisp, creamy white flesh; mild, sweet flavor. Retains quality. Large tree; vigorous and spreading. Usually bears second year. Requires pollination.

Care and Maintenance

  1. Preparing the Hole

    Dig the hole as deep as the root ball, and as much as three times as wide as the diameter of the root ball. Breaking up the soil around the tree provides the newly emerging roots room to grow into loose soil to hasten establishment.

  2. Placing Your Tree

    Place the tree carefully in the center of the hole after removing it from the container. The tree's root collar (the bulge right above the root system) should be just above the top of the soil. Don't dig the hole too deep. It is better if the root collar is slightly (1 to 2") higher than ground level because of possible setting.

  3. Filling the Hole

    Carefully fill the hole with soil when the tree is positioned and straight. Fill the hole about 1/3 full and lightly push the soil around the base of the root ball. Fill the remainder of the hole taking care to gently but firmly pack soil to eliminate air pockets that may cause the roots to dry out. Don't plant the tree too deep. Back fill the soil to the height just below the root collar.

  4. Mulching

    Place 2 to 4 inches of mulch in a 2 to 3 foot circle around the tree. Keep the mulch from touching the trunk to keep fungus from growing on the trunk. Mulch can be aged wood chips or bark. Mulch helps keep roots moist and insulates them, and prevents weed growth. It is not recommended to apply fertilizer at the time of planting.

  5. Watering

    Water the tree well as soon as you plant it. Water the tree at least once a week for the first year after planting. A slow, root-saturating, one-hour trickle once a week is recommended for a new tree. The watering schedule should be adjusted accordingly if it rains or is very dry.