Plant Guide

Other Names:  Common Pear

Description:

A culinary pear with fragrant white flowers in spring, followed in fall by large, oval, greenish-yellow pears with a red blush; flesh is crisp, with a fair flavor, perfect for canning and baking; has low chill requirements, very resistant to fireblight

Edible Qualities

Kieffer Pear is a small tree that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces large chartreuse oval pears (which are botanically known as 'pomes') with a red blush and white flesh which are usually ready for picking in early fall. The pears have a sweet taste and a gritty texture.

The pears are most often used in the following ways:

• Cooking
• Baking
• Canning

Features & Attributes

Kieffer Pear is covered in stunning clusters of white flowers along the branches in mid spring. It has forest green deciduous foliage. The glossy pointy leaves turn outstanding shades of yellow and red in the fall. The fruits are showy chartreuse pears with a red blush, which are carried in abundance in early fall. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up.

This is a dense deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Messy
• Disease

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Kieffer Pear is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Kieffer Pear will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more. This variety requires a different selection of the same species growing nearby in order to set fruit.

This tree is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.