Practical
Plants

Pyrus pyrifolia

Sand 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
10 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. Hard and gritty[1]. Firm crisp and juicy when fully ripe, they are eaten out of hand or used in fruit salads, pies or baked etc[3]. The fruit is up to 3cm long[5]. Up to 5cm in another report[4]. The average yield from wild trees in the Himalayas is 83kg per year, though some trees yield up to 200kg[4]. The fruit contains about 4.9% sugars, 3.2% protein, 0.9% pectin[4].

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.

Antiseptic, astringent, febrifuge, nervine, pectoral[2].

Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Nervine
Product or use
Pectoral

Material uses

None known

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China.
Habitat
Warm rainy regions at elevations of 100 - 1400 metres in China[6]. Naturalized in low mountains and around villages in C. and S. Japan[7].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
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[5]. Temperatures over 15 - 20°c induce a secondary dormancy in the seed[5]. 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[5]. 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[5]. Established plants are drought tolerant[5]. Plants are hardy to at least -15°c[5]. A parent of the cultivated Asian pears[1].

References

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

    ↩1↩2

  2. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  3. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩

  4. Parmar. C. and Kaushal. M.K. Wild Fruits of the Sub-Himalayan Region. Kalyani Publishers. New Delhi. 1982-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. 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

  6. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

    ↩

  7. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩

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