List of pear cultivars facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Over 3000 cultivars of the pear are known. The following is a list of the more common and important cultivars, with the year and place of origin (where documented) and an indication of whether the pears are for cooking, eating, canning, drying or making perry. Those varieties marked agm have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Those varieties marked FCC have gained the Royal Horticulatural Society's First Class Certificate.

Table of pears
Perry pears
Gallery
See also

Table of pears

Common name	Synonyms	Origin	First developed and introduced	Comment	Use and Cold storage	Harvest (days from full bloom) and Fireblight susceptibility F1 =very resistant, F5 = very susceptible.
Abate Fetel	Abbé Fetel	France	1869	Scab susceptible. A major cultivar in Italy	Eating -1^oC 90 days	140–165 F3
Alexander Lucas	Lucas, Lukas, Beurré Alexander	Loire et Cher, France	1870, introduced 1874	Triploid	eating -0.5^oC 120 days.	157 F1
Alfa						F1
Ambrosia		Indiana, US	cross made 1978	Pick mid August. Tolerant to fire blight.	eating. 1^oC 42 days
Angelys		Angers, France	introduced 1999	Parentage Doyenné d' hiver x Doyenné du Comice. Pick 10 days after Doyenne du Comice	eating, -0.5^o 180 days	F4
Angouleme see Duchesse d'Angouleme
Anjou see Beurré D'Anjou
Anjou Red				Sport of anjou with a red surface color. Not as vigorous as Anjou.
Ayers		United States		an interspecific P. communis× P. pyrifolia hybrid
Bambinella		Malta
Bartlett see Williams
Bartlett Max Red		Europe	1945	A red sport of Bartlett. Slightly more fire blight resistant than Bartlett
Bartlett Red Sensation	Sensation Red Bartlett	Australia	1940	A red sport of Bartlett. Tree is slower growing.
Beth		England	introduced 1974	AGM in 1993. Parentage Beurre Superfin x Williams Bon Chretien.
Beurre d' Anjou	D' Anjou, Beurré Gris,	France	<1628		eating -0.5^oC 150 days	140–165 F2
Beurré d'Arenberg see Glou Morceau
Beurré Bedford		Bedford, England	Raised 1902, introduced 1921	Parentage Marie Louise x Durondeau	Eating in October and November
Bell		West Virginia, US	cross made 1983	Fire blight resistant.	eating
Beurré Bosc see Bosc
Beurré Clairrgeau see Clairgeau
Beurré Diel		Belgium	<1830		eating -0.5^oC 120 days
Beurré Durandeau	De Tongrés, Tongeren, Tongern, Tongre, Durandeau, Durondeau		<1823	Pick late September – early October.	eating, canning -0.5^oC 150 days
Beurré Giffard	Giffard	Angers, France	1825	Poor keeper	eating	100–120
Beurré d'Hardenpont see Glou Morceau
Beurré Hardy [fr]	Hardy, Beurre Hardy, ge. Gellerts Butterbirne	Boulogne-sur-Mer, France	c1820, introduced c1840	AGM in 1993. Biennial bearing.	Eating -0.5^oC 90 days	130–150 F2
Beurré de Mérode see Doppelte Philipp
Beurré Superfin		Angers, France	1837	AGM in 2006. Ripens in late September.	Eating
Black Worcester		England		a cooking pear that keeps well	Cooking
Blake's Pride		United States	cross made 1965, introduced 1998	derived from a cross of US 446 x US 505, made by H.J. Brooks
Blanquilla	'pera de agua' and 'blanquilla de Aranjuez'	Spain			eating	100–130 F1
Bon Chrétien see Willams
Bonne de Malines see Winter Nelis
Bon Rouge				cultivar derived from a rare, spontaneous bud mutation of the green pear cultivar William’s Bon Chretien
Bosc	Beurré Bosc, Bosc's Flaschenbirne, Kaiser Alexander	Belgium	<1807	Good for eating, baking, cooking, broiling, especially poaching.	eating, baking -1^oC 120 days	150–165 F1
Bristol Cross		Bristol, England	cross made 1920	Parentage Williams x Conference	eating	142
Butirra Precoce Morettini	Beurré précoce Morettini [fr]	Florence, Italy	1956	Parentage: Coscia x Williams (Bartlett) made by Morettini. Tree is vigorous. Ripens 20 days before Bartlett. One of the best early pears.	eating	100–125
Carmen		Italy	cross made 1980, selected 1989, introduced 2000	Pick 18 days before Bartlett.	eating
Cascade		Oregon, US	1975	A red-skinned pear. Parentage Bartlett Max Red x Doyenné du Comice.	eating
Catillac	Cadillac, De Citrouille, De Bell, Grand-Mogul, Grand-Tamerlan, Monstrueuse des Landes, Pound Pear, Tete-de-Chat	France	<1665	scab resistant pear for organic gardening.	Cooking
Celina	QTee	Sweden & Norway	cross made 1985, selected 1997	Pick 17 days before Conference. Parentage Colorée de Juillet x Bartlett.	eating
Charneu, Charneux see Fondante de Charneux
Chojuro		Japan	1895		eating	140–155
Churchland
Clairgeau	Beurré Clairgeau	Nantes, France	c.1830, introduced 1851	Tree is healthy and productive. Excellent dessert quality.	eating, cooking -0.5^oC 60 days
Clapp's Favourite	Clapps	Dorchester, Massachusetts, US	1860 c. 1860, introduced 1867	Susceptible to scab. Very susceptible to fireblight	eating -0.5^oC 60 days	105–130
Clara Frijs	Comtesse Clara Frijs	Skensved, Denmark	<1858	major cultivar in Denmark	Eating
Claude Blanchet		Vienne, Isère, France by M BLANCHET	1877	Random seedling
Colorée de Juillet	Bunte Juli	Rouen, France	1857, introduced 1867		eating	90
Comtesse de Paris	Paris	Eure-et-Loire, France	1884?, 1893?	Pick late October. Use December-February	eating -0.5^oC 180 days	165
Concorde		England	introduced 1984	AGM in 1993. Susceptible to fireblight. Parentage Doyenné du Comice x Conference
Condo		Wageningen, Netherlands	1965	Parentage Conference x Doyenné du Comice	-1^o C 120 days
Conference	Rivers' Conference	Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, England	1884, introduced 1894	FCC in 1885. AGM in 1993. Susceptible to fireblight and canker.	eating -0.5^oC 120 days	160–180 F1
Corella		Australia	1890 late 19th century	Barossa Valley in southern Australia by German settlers
Coscia		Italy	<1800	very early maturing cultivar	eating	90–120 F1
Curé see Poire de Curé
D'Anjou see Beurré d' Anjou
Delfrap	Delbard Premiere	France	1955	Preharvest drop.	eating
Dessertnaja
Dicolor				pick late september	eating	F4
Don Guindo		Spain		strong yellow, flavoured taste
Doppelte Philipp	Beurré de Mérode, Doyenné de Mérode, Albertine, Doyenné Boussoch	Belgium	c.1800, introduced 1819	Pick september. Use November
Doyenné d' hiver see Easter Beurre
Doyenné du Comice	Comice, Vereinsdekant, Offered as "Royal Riviera Pears" by Harry & David	Angers, France	<1849	FCC in 1900. AGM in 1993. Biennial bearing. Preharvest drop. Vigorous tree, erratic cropper.	eating -0.5^oC 90 days	150–170 F5
Doyenné de Mérode see Doppelte Philip
Drouard see President Drouard
Dr. Jules Guyot		Troyes, France	c1870 Introduced 1875	Scab resistant pear for organic gardening. Poor keeper.	eating, 0 C 25 days	105–125 F2
Duchess	Dyushes, Dushes	England? France?	late 18th c.	Pick early October	eating, canning
Duchesse d'Angouleme	Angouleme	France	1809, introduced 1815	Large tree, bears reulary. Good fire blight resistance.	eating	150–170
Durondeau se Beurré Durondeau
Earlibrite
Easter Beurré	Doyenné d' hiver, Winterdechantsbirne	Belgium	c1823	Use December- March	eating	160–185
Edelcrassane see Passe Crassane
Eden		Israel
Eldorado		California, US	1945	Very good to excellent quality. Long storage life.	Eating, Canning	140–160 F1
Elektra						F5
Epine du Mas	Belle de Limoges, Beurré Rochechouart, du Mas	Rochechouart, France	<1847		eating, 0 C 100 days
Flamingo		South Africa	introduced 1993	Parentage Bon Rouge x Forelle. Flesh: creamy white, soft.	eating
Flemish Beauty	Fondante des Bois	Flanders, Belgium	1810	Hardy to -45 degrees F.	Eating, drying	160–180
Fondante d'Automne		France	1825 c. 1825	An old Flemish variety raised by Fievee at Maubeuge
Fondante de Charneux	Charneux, Merveille de Charneu, Köstliche von Charneeux, Légipont, Merveille de Charneu, Waterloo,	Charneux, Belgium	c1800	Susceptible to fireblight	eating -0.5^oC 100 days	144
Forelle					eating	160–190
Gellert see Beurré Hardy
Gem		West Virginia, US	cross made 1970, selected 1981, introduced 2014	Pick early September in West Virginia and Oregon.	eating
General Leclerc		Angers, France	1950 ,introduced 1974	Parentage Doyenne du Comice x ?	Eating -0.5^oC 150 days
Gerburg
Giffard se Beurré Giffard
Glou Morceau	Beurré d'Hardenpoint Beurré d'Arenberg, Hardenponts Winterbutterbirne	Belgium	1750	Use November – December.	eating -0.5^oC 120 days	170–200
Gourmet		South Dakota, US	cross made 1954, selected 1969	Width 56–74 mm. Flesh: firm, yellow, crisp ,juicy. Pollen-sterile Pick 3rd week in September in South Dakota.	eating
Golden Spice				Small fruit, very hardy
Gorham		New York, US	Introduced 1923	Parentage Bartlett x Josephine de Malines. AGM in 2006. Ripens 14 days later than Bartlett
Grand Champion		Oregon, US	1936	Bud mutation from Gorham
Grüne Jagdbirne		Germany ?	<1936	Pick late October.	Perry
Hardy see Beurré Hardy
Harobig
Harovin Sundown
Harrow Crisp
Harrow Delight		Ontario, Canada	Introduced 1982	Hardy in zone 5
Harrow Gold
Harrow Red
Harrow Sweet		Ontario, Canada	cross made 1965			F1
Harvest Queen		Ontario, Canada	introduced 1982	Parentage: Williams x(Williams x(Williams x Seckel))	Eating, Canning
Hermann
Herzogin Elsa	Elsa	Germany	1879 or 1885	Pick late September	eating
Hessle	Hazel	Yorkshire, England	<1827	disease resistant pear for organic gardening	eating
Highland		US	cross made 1944	Parentage Willams x Doyenné du Comise	eating
Honeysweet		US	cross made 1955, selected 1969	Width 55–61 mm, height 61–67 mm. Parentage Seckel x (Vermont Beauty x Roi Carlo de Wurtenberg). Pick early september. Flesh: buttery, sweet, rich.	eating
Hortensia		Dresden-Pillnitz, Germany	introduced 1996	Parentage Nordhäuser Winterforelle x Clapp Favorite. Pick mid to late September.	eating
Hosui (豊水) (Pyrus pyrifolia subsp. culta)	'Russet pears', Russet apple pear	National Institute of Fruit Tree Science, Japan	1972 c. 1972		Cider, cooking, eating	135–145
Huntington
Ingeborg		Balsgård, Fjälkestad, Sweden	1994	Parentage Conference x Bonne Louise. Triploid. Main pear cultivar in Norway	eating
Isolda				Susceptible to fireblight	eating	F2
Jargonell	Bellissme-Jargonelle, Figue d'Été, Grosse-Jargonelle, Sabine d'Été, Vermillon d'Été	France	<1690	Tree is hardy, healthy and vigouros	eating
Jeanne d'Arc		Rouen, France	introduced 1893	Parentage Diels Butterbirne x Doyenne du Comice	eating
Joséphine de Malines	Josephine von Mecheln	, Mechelen(a.k.a. Malines), Belgium	1830	FCC in 1901. AGM in 1993. Obtained by Esperen, pomologist and mayor of Malines in the 19th century; one of the best late season pears. Pick late October. Use January – March.	eating -0.5^oC 120 days
Kaiser Alexander see Bosc
Kalle see Starkrimson
Kieffer		United States		a hybrid of the Chinese "sand pear", P. pyrifolia and probably 'Bartlett'. Hardy in Zones 4–9.	eating, canning, baking	170–190
Kikusui	Kikisui			Pyrus pyrifolia. Not suitable for shipping.	eating
Kosui (幸水)	Russet apple pear	National Institute of Fruit Tree Science, Japan	1959 c. 1959	the most important cultivar in Japan), ('Russet pears')Pyrus pyrifolia subsp. culta	Cider, cooking, eating	120–130
La France		Vienne, Isere, France	1864
Lategale
Laxton's Superb		England	Raised 1901, Introduced 1913, Introduced in US 1937	Parentage Beurré Superfin x Bartlett. No longer used due to high susceptibility to fireblight
Le Conte				Pyrus communis x P. pyrifolia.Vigorous tree.
Liegel	Liegels Winterbutterbirne	Malines, Belgium	1788
Louise Bonne	Bonne Louise d'Avranches, Louise Bonne d'Avranches, Bonne Louise of Jersey, Gute Louise von Avranches	Normandy, France	1778	Scab susceptible	eating -0.5^oC 120 days	141
Luscious		South Dakota, US	Introduced 1967	Small-medium Bartlett-like fruit. Hardy in Zone 4	eating
Magness		Maryland, US	Introduced 1960	Hardy in Zone 6–9. Resistant to fire blight.
Maxine		Ohio, US	Introduced 1923	Hardy in zones 4–8.
Merton Pride		England	1941
Moonglow			Introduced 1960	Parentage Doyenne du Comice x ? Hardy in zones 5–8.	eating, canning
Moorcroft	Stinking Bishop	Colwall, England	<1884	Pick mid to late September	Perry
Chinese White Pear (Pyrus bretschneideri)	Nashi
Nashi	Asian / Japanese / Chinese / Korean / Taiwanese / sand pear			Pyrus pyrifolia
Nijisseiki (二十世紀) name means "20th century", also spelled 'Nijusseiki'	Green pears	Matsudo, Chiba, Japan	1888 c. 1888	Green apple pear. (Pyrus pyrifolia subsp. culta)	Cider, cooking, eating	140–155
Nordhäuser Winterforelle		Nordhausen, Germany	introduced 1864	Pick mid-October. Use January – March	eating -0.5^oC 120 days
Oberösterreichische Weinbirne		Austria	old	Pick mid-October	Perry
Oldfield		Herefordshire, England	early 1700s	Pick mid to late October. Mill 3–6 weeks after harvest.	Perry
Onward		National Fruit Trials in Wisley, Surrey	1947	Laxton's Superb x Doyenne du Comice	Eating
Orcas		Washington, US	1966	Cold storage 11 weeks		112–132
Orient		United States		an interspecific P. communis × P. pyrifolia hybrid. Hardy in zones 5–8.	canning
Packham	'Packham's Triumph'	Australia	1896	Parentage Uvedale's St. Germain x Williams.	eating -0.5^oC 90 days	150–165 F4
Paragon		Oregon, US	cross made in 1940s	Flesh fine-textured with exquisite flavor. Tree vigorous.	eating
Parker		Minnesota, US		Large Bartlett-like fruit
Paris see Comtesse de Paris
Parsonage		New Rochelle, New York	1857 c. 1857
Passe Crassane		Rouen, France	1855	A variety developed by M. Boisbunel, a nurseryman from Rouen, France	Eating -0.5^oC 150 days	180–210 F4
Patten		Minnesota, US		Hardy to -50 degrees F. Large tender and juicy fruit.	Eating, canning
Petersbirne	Grosse Petersbirne	Germany	<1799		Cooking, juice, drying. -0.5^oC 30 days
Piérre Corneille		France	<1895	Biennial bearing.	eating
Pineapple		United States		an interspecific P. communis × P. pyrifolia hybrid. Hardy in zone 8–9	eating, canning
Pitmaston	Pitmaston Duchess, Williams' Duchess	Worcester, England	1841	FCC in 1874	eating, canning
Poire de Curé	Curé, Bon Curé, Vicar of Winkfield, Pastorenbirne	Indre, France	1760	Triploid. Pick October. Use December-January	eating, cooking, 0 C 130 days
Potomac		US	cross made 1961	Parentage Moonglow x Beurrè d' Anjou. Width 65 mm. Pick 2 week after Bartlett. Flesh: buttery, reminding Beurré d'Anjou	eating
President Drouard	Präsident Drouard	Angers, France	Introduced 1870	Pick mid-October. Use November-January	eating
Prècoce de Trévoux		France	1862	Scab susceptible.	eating -0.5^oC 50 days	105
Precoce Moretini see Butirra Precoce Morettini
Red Clapp's see Starkrimson
Rescue		Vancouver, B.C.	<1976	Width 75–85 mm. Pick 6 days before Bartlett. Flesh: cream-colored, melting, juicy, reminding Clapp's Favorite.	eating, 1^oC, 12 weeks
Rocha	Pêra Rocha	Portugal			eating, 0 C 210 days
Robert de Neufville		Geisenheim, Germany	cross made 1896	Parentage: Auguste Jurie x Clapp's Favourite. Pick late August. Flavour comparable with Doyenné du Comice	eating
Rosemarie		South Africa	cross made 1974	Parentage Bon Rouge x Forelle
Santa Maria		Italy	introduced 1951	Parentage Williams x Coscia	eating
Schweizer Wasserbirne		Switzerland ?	old	Triploid. Juice yield 75–80%	juice, drying
Seckel	Seckle	United States, Philadelphia area	1690 late 17th century	Some fireblight resistance. Hardy in zone 5–8.	eating	120–140
Shenandoah		Kearneysville, West Virginia, US	selected 1985, introduced 2003	Harvest maturity similar to Beurre d' Anjou	eating
Shinseki				Hardy in zone 6–9.	eating	125–135
Starkrimson	Kalle, Red Clapp's	Michigan	Discovered 1939, Introduced 1956	a red-skinned bud mutation of Clapp's Favourite. Its thick, smooth skin is a uniform, bright and intense red, and its creamy flesh is sweet and aromatic.
Stinking Bishop see Moorcroft
Siberian				Extremely hardy with inedible fruit, used as a pollinator
Summer Beauty
Summercrisp		Minnesota, US	Introduced 1987	Cold storage 6 weeks. Crisp texture is similar to Asian Pears, medium sized mildly sweet fruit
Sweet Sensation	Rode Doyenné van Doorn	Netherlands	discovered 1992, introduced 2010	mutation of Doyenne du Comice	eating
Taylor's gold		New Zealand		a russeted mutant clone of 'Comice'
Tongeren, Tongern, Tongre see Beurré Durandeau
Tosca
Trévoux see Prècoce de Trévoux
Triomphe de Vienne	Triumph	Isère, France	introduced 1874	Biennial bearing.	eating	156
Tsu Li	Tse Li			Pyrus pyrifolia	eating	150–165
Turandot		Italy	cross made 1980, introduced 2000	Parentage Dr. Guyot x Bella di Giugno. Susceptible to fire blight.	eating
Tyson	Early Sugar Pear	Philadelphia, US	1794	Tree is hardy and fireblight reistant. Hardy in zone 5–8. Pick early august.	eating
Ure		Morden, Manitoba		Juicy, small-medium fruit
Uta		Dresden-Pillnitz, Germany	1993	Parentage Madame Verte x Beurré Bosc. Pick mid-October	eating, ?^oC 135 days
Verdi		Wageningen, Netherlands	1966
Vicar of Winkfield see Poire de Curé
Virgouleuse
Williams	Williams Christ, Williams' Bon Chrétien Bartlett (United States) Red Bartlett (United States)	Berkshire, England	1770	Susceptible to scab and fireblight. Many are yellow. There are three major red-skinned mutant clones: 'Max Red Bartlett', 'Sensation Red Bartlett', 'Rosired Bartlett' Good for eating, baking, cooking. In a recipe specifying apples, substituting one of these pears can give joy.	eating, canning -1^oC 60 days	115–135 F3
Winter Nelis	Bonne de Malines, Beurré de Malines, Coloma d' Hiver, Nélis d'Hiver,	Malines, Belgium	<1818	FCC in 1902. Resistant to fireblight.	Eating -1^oC 120 days	160–185
Xenia	Noiabriskaia	Netherlands	cross made 1968, selected 2001, introduced 2008	Parentage Triomphe de Vienne x Nicolai Krier. Pick 2 weeks after Conerence.	eating, 1^oC 90 days.
Ya Li				Pyrus pyrifolia	eating	150–165
Yakumo				Pyrus pyrifolia	eating

Perry pears

Perry pears may be far too sour or bitter for fresh eating, but are used for making perry, the pear equivalent of the alcoholic beverage apple cider. Some pears (especially older ones from the U.S. and Canada) are used for both cider and eating purposes.