DIY Network

Asian Pear Overview Kelly Givens shares the basics about Asian pears. From "Fresh From the Orchard" episode DFFO-109

Kelly Givens explains that the Asian pear is an exotic but easy-to-grow fruit that is both similar to and different from European pears. There are many varieties of Asian pears, and she provides details on how to select the right one for your garden. After discussing their pollination and cultural requirements, she plants two pear trees, a Korean Giant and a Shinko.

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Overview

Figure A

Asian pears have been grown in China for centuries, but they're relatively new to the United States. Asian pears are often called apple pears. Their flesh is crisp like an apple, but they have a pearlike flavor and aroma, and they're extremely juicy.

Asian pears are quite different from the European pears that most people are familiar with. Regular European pears are so distinctively shaped that the term "pear shaped" has become part of our everyday language. But most Asian pears aren't pear-shaped at all: most are either round or slightly flattened (figure A).

The skin of Asian pears varies in color from green (figure B) to russet or reddish brown (figure C). The flesh is white, juicy and crisp (figure D). Unlike European pears, which are picked from trees before they mature, Asian pears are left on the tree until they are ripe and ready to eat. The trees are attractive in an orchard or home landscape and have beautiful white flowers in the spring and colorful fall foliage.

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

Asian pears can be dwarf trees that reach only 8' or 10' tall or large trees that grow to 50' or more in height. Trees that are pruned to stay between 10' and 15' tall are the top choice for most home gardeners: small trees are easier to spray and harvest than are large trees, and they can be spaced more closely together. Asian pears are heavy bearers: one tree usually provides enough fruit for a family of four.

Pears need at least six or eight hours of sun a day for decent fruit production. They grow best in soils with a pH of 6.0 to 6.5 (figure E). Pears also like well-drained soils. If your soil is claylike, add a 2" layer of soil conditioner over the planting area and work it in to a depth of 8" or 10" (figure F). The conditioner helps break up the soil and improves both its texture and its drainage.

Figure E

Figure F

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