Pear

Where it grows

European pears descend from wild Pyrus communis of the woodlands and stream banks of central and southern Europe and the Caucasus. Asian pears (Pyrus pyrifolia) are a separate species from East Asia. China leads world production for both groups today.

How to recognise it

Pear trees are typically taller and more upright than apples, with glossier dark green leaves and clusters of white five-petalled blossoms that often appear before the leaves. The fruit is a pome with a characteristic gritty stone-cell texture in the flesh — brevipedunculate European pears taper into the classic teardrop, while Asian pears are round and crisp.

Uses

Familiar dessert pears include Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou, and Comice. Cooking pears are firmer and used in tarts and poached desserts. Perry pears, often tannic and inedible raw, are pressed to ferment a sparkling cider once a staple of English farm life. The dense, fine-grained wood is treasured for woodwind instruments and carved blocks.

Lifespan

Pear trees can outlast apples by centuries; some traditional orchards in Worcestershire are still cropping after 300 years.