Pyrus communis sativa

• Pear

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^[8]. Temperatures over 15 - 20°c induce a secondary dormancy in the seed^[8]. 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. The seed of pear cultivars will not usually breed true to type.

Prefers a good well-drained loam in full sun^[8]. Grows well in heavy clay soils^[8]. 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, though plants can become chlorotic on very alkaline soils^[8]. Established plants are drought tolerant^[8].

Very hardy, tolerating temperatures down to below -15°c^[8]. Widely cultivated for its edible fruit in temperate areas, there are many named varieties that can provide fruit from late July to April or May of the following year. This is the collective name for all the pear cultivars that have been derived from P. communis, probably through hybridization with P. cordata and P. nivalis. Where space is at a premium, or at the limits of their climatic range, pears can be grown against a wall. Most cultivars will grow well against a sunny south or west facing wall but, because of their relatively early flowering, they are not really suitable for north or east facing walls^[9]. Most cultivars are not self-fertile and a number of cultivars have incompatible pollen, so care must be taken to ensure the provision of a suitable pollen partner^[8].

Trees grow less well in grass, root secretions from the grass inhibiting the root growth of the pear^[10].