Digitalseed: European Pears

Pears (Pyrus communis) grow well in an arid climate that is moderate to hot. Dry summers are essential in controlling the bacterial disease, fireblight, which limits pear growing in North America more than any other factor. Most pears need cross-pollination. All listed will pollinize each other.

Variety	Chill Hours	Pollination	Fruit Ripens
Flordahome	< 150	self-sterile	June-July
Hood	< 150	self-sterile	July -Aug.
Kieffer	150	self-fruitful	Oct.-Nov.
Monterrey	150	self-sterile	Aug.-Sept.
Orient	150	self-sterile	Aug.
Pineapple	150	self-fruitful	Aug.
Comice	300	semi self-fruitful	Aug.
Moonglow	400	self-sterile	early Aug.

Flordahome

Small to medium fruit. Skin is light green, smooth, and tender. Excellent flavor with juicy melting flesh. Needs pollinizer. Reliably pollinated by Hood. High resistance to fireblight. Is one of the lowest chill requirement cultivars known.

Chill Hours:	< 150
Pollination:	self-sterile
Fruit Ripens:	June-July

Hood

Large fruit. Smooth, yellow-green skin. Excellent flavor with juicy melting flesh. Needs pollinizer. Reliably pollinated by Flordahome. High resistance to fireblight.

Chill Hours: < 150

Pollination: self-sterile

Fruit Ripens: July -Aug.

Kieffer

Large fruit. Greenish-yellow skin blushed red. Coarse, crisp, juicy, white flesh. Stores well. Self-fruitful. Stores well.

Chill Hours: 150

Pollination: self-fruitful

Fruit Ripens: Oct.-Nov.

Monterrey

Large, apple-shaped fruit. Yellow-green skin. Smooth texture, crisp, and good sweet flavored flesh. Vigorous upright tree.

Chill Hours: 150

Pollination: self-sterile

Fruit Ripens: Aug.-Sept.

Orient

Large round fruit. Yellow skin. Smooth textured, sweet, firm, juicy, white flesh. Heavy producer. Resistant to blight.

Chill Hours: 150

Pollination: self-sterile

Fruit Ripens: Aug.

Pineapple

Large fruit. Russet colored skin. Pineapple flavored flesh. Early, large flowers and foliage. Usually sets fruit the first year. Self-fruitful but sets heavier crops if pollinated.

Chill Hours: 150

Pollination: self-fruitful

Fruit Ripens: Aug.

Comice

Large, round. Green-yellow skin with red blush. Rich, sweet, creamy flesh. Self-fruitful in the arid West but, produces better when planted with Barlett or other pears.

Chill Hours: 300

Pollination: semi self-fruitful

Fruit Ripens: Aug.

Moonglow

Large fruit. Brownish-green skin. Fruit resembles Barlett in shape. Soft flesh, moderately juicy. Mild Flavor. Resistant to fireblight.

Chill Hours: 400

Pollination: self-sterile

Fruit Ripens: early Aug.

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