Orient Pear: Irresistible Beauty

Pyrus communis ‘Orient’

Last week we featured the Bartlett pear tree, a European cultivar that made its way to the U.S. and became one of the most popular pears. This week we’re introducing a hybrid pear: the Orient pear. The Orient pear is a cross breed of an Asian pear and European. As a result of the blend, it offers some appealing attributes and a reputation for beauty. It is blight resistant and bears heavy crops. Large, round and yellow in color, Orient pears still offer the familiar sweet taste of their European cousins. The fruit has a thick skin over a creamy, fine flesh with a sweet but mild flavor.

In addition to its delicious fruit and pretty white blossoms, the Orient pear tree offers practical value. It’s fast growing, which means it won’t be long before the tree starts to bear its pears (just remember to plant with a second pollinator like the Bartlett). It grows up to 20 feet high with an oval canopy and glossy green leaves, offering plenty of shade, but still small enough to plant as a landscape tree. It grows well in hardiness zones 5-8, but it does need full sun, that’s at least six hours of direct sunlight every day.

Similar to many fruit bearing trees, the Orient is popular amongst wildlife. So you may be quarreling with squirrels and deer for your fair share of fruit.

What is your favorite pear variety? Let us know below!