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Pyrus communis (F)

common pear

Sold by 11 nurseries

  • Other common names common pear
    wild pear

    choke pear
    achras

    see more

  • Family Rosaceae

  • Genus Pyrus are deciduous trees or shrubs with oval leaves and scented white flowers in spring, followed by green or brown fruits, edible in some species

  • Details P. communis is 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

  • Plant range Europe, Asia Minor.

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Bushy

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H6

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Aspect South-facing or West-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained

  • SoilClay, Loam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height Higher than 12 metres

  • Ultimate spread wider than 8 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 20-50 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow as a free-standing tree in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun

Propagation Propagate by seed sown in autumn, or by grafting or chip budding

Suggested planting locations and garden types Cottage & Informal Garden Wildlife Gardens

How to care

Pruning Pruning group 1

Pests May be affected by aphids, caterpillars, codling moth, pear blister mite, pear midge and pear and cherry slugworm

Diseases May be affected by pear scab, Europaean pear rust, brown rot, blossom wilt and fireblight

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