Shonnard’s Nursery
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Other Names:  Common Pear

Description:

A vigorous tree, producing sweet yellow-green pears that are blushed with copper-brown ; very showy flowers in spring and an upright oval habit; very easy to grow; fallen fruit can be messy; quite resistant to fireblight and other pear diseases

Edible Qualities

Seckel Pear is a small tree that is typically grown for its edible qualities. It produces chartreuse oblong pears (which are botanically known as 'pomes') with a brown blush and creamy white flesh which are usually ready for picking from late summer to early fall. The fruit will often fade to plum purple over time. The pears have a sweet taste with a soft texture and a spicy fragrance.

The pears are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Baking
• Canning

Features & Attributes

Seckel Pear is bathed in stunning clusters of white flowers along the branches in early spring. It has forest green deciduous foliage. The glossy pointy leaves turn outstanding shades of orange, red and coppery-bronze in the fall. The fruits are showy chartreuse pears with a brown blush and which fade to plum purple over time, which are carried in abundance from late summer to 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 an upright spreading habit of growth. 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, Seckel Pear is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Seckel Pear will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 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 medium 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. 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.