edenhana

Pear

Pear needs a compatible pollinator variety far more reliably than apple does; very few varieties are genuinely self-fertile, so plan for two different varieties within bee range from the start. Packham's Triumph and Doyenne du Comice are two of the most widely grown varieties in New Zealand orchards and home gardens. Fireblight, a serious bacterial disease that blackens blossom and shoots as if scorched by fire, is the main disease risk and calls for removing and destroying affected wood promptly. Pear and cherry slug, a small black sawfly larva that skeletonises leaves to a lace-like texture over summer, is a distinctive pest this crop shares with cherry but not apple.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
400cm
Harvest
Ready in about 3-6 years
Difficulty
intermediate
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
20-40kg of fruit per mature tree per season
Cost to grow
~$30 NZD
Grocery value
~$150 NZD
Mature height
5m
Flowering season
Sep, Oct
Attracts wildlife
Bees
Evergreen
No, deciduous
Common diseases
Fireblight, Black spot (pear scab)
Common pests
Codling moth, Pear and cherry slug, Leafroller caterpillar

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: June-August. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: June-July.

Growing stages

  1. Planting & establishmentBare-root, winter (June-August)

    • Plant bare-root while dormant in winter, in full sun with good air movement
    • Very few pear varieties are reliably self-fertile; plant two compatible varieties (Packham's Triumph and Doyenne du Comice are a well-known NZ pairing) within bee range
    • Water while young roots establish

  2. Early growthFirst 1-2 years

    • Prune to an open, vase-like shape in the first couple of winters to let light into the centre of the tree
    • Watch new shoots for fireblight, blackened, scorched-looking blossom and shoot tips; cut affected wood well back into healthy growth and destroy it
    • First proper crop is usually 3-5 years away

  3. Flowering & fruiting

    • Bees pollinate blossom, which typically opens slightly before apple's; avoid spraying during flowering
    • Pear and cherry slug can skeletonise leaves to a lacy brown texture over summer; a strong hose jet or wood ash dusting controls light infestations
    • Black spot (pear scab) can mark fruit and leaves in humid weather, similar to apple scab

  4. MaturityOngoing annual harvest

    • Established trees yield 20-40kg of fruit per season
    • Unlike stone fruit, pears are picked slightly under-ripe and firm, then ripen off the tree at room temperature for the best texture
    • Continue checking for fireblight each spring; removing it promptly is the only real control

Similar plants