Practical
Plants

Pyrus communis

Wild Pear

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Pyrus genus in the family Rosaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Rosaceae
Genus
Pyrus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
13 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

None known

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[9][13]. The fruit of wild pears often remains very hard unless bletted[8]. It is more suitable for use in pies etc. The fruit is up to 5cm long[10].

Plant part
Fruit

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The fruit is astringent, febrifuge and sedative[12].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Sedative

Material uses

A yellow-tan dye is obtained from the leaves[3][5]. Trees are sometimes used as part of a shelterbelt planting[11]. Wood - heavy, tough, durable, fine grained, hard. It weighs 51lb per cubic foot[11]. Used by cabinet and instrument makers[4][14][2][6]. When covered with black varnish it is an excellent ebony substitute[15].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
Europe. Naturalized in Britain[7].
Habitat
Hedges, woodland margins etc in Britain[7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe in the autumn, it will then usually germinate in mid to late winter. Stored seed requires 8 - 10 weeks cold stratification at 1°c and should be sown as early in the year as possible[10]. Temperatures over 15 - 20°c induce a secondary dormancy in the seed[10]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse for their first year. Plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year.

Cultivation

Prefers a good well-drained loam in full sun[1][10]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates light shade but does not fruit so well in such a position. Tolerates atmospheric pollution, excessive moisture and a range of soil types, if they are moderately fertile[10], avoiding only the most acid soils[8]. Dislikes very exposed positions[8]. Established plants are drought tolerant[10]. A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to below -15°c[10]. Plants often sucker and can form dense thickets[8]. A parent of the cultivated pear, possibly by crossing with P. nivalis and P. cordata[4]. There are many hundreds of varieties of cultivated pears and they are widely cultivated in the temperate zone for their edible fruits. By selection of varieties fresh fruits can be obtained from late July to April or May of the following year.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide. Oxford University Press 1969-00-00 ISBN 0192176218

    ↩

  3. Coon. N. The Dictionary of Useful Plants. Rodale Press 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-090-x

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  4. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  5. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

    ↩

  6. Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-292-78958-3

    ↩

  7. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  8. Beckett. G. and K. Planting Native Trees and Shrubs. Jarrold 1979-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩

  10. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  11. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩1↩2

  12. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  13. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

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  14. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  15. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

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