North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Douglas Woodard <dwoodard@becon.org>]

Brooks and Olmo (Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties) 3rd edition 1997 
says, "originated in Brookings , South Dakota by Ronald M. Peterson, 
Agr. Expt. Sta. Introduced in 1973. SD E31 x Ewart, cross made in 1954, 
selected in 1967, tested as South Dakota 67S11. Fruit: size medium, 
pyriform with broad neck; skin thick, tender, attractive rich yellow 
with occasional small scattered brown russeted areas, sometimes with a 
pink blush; flesh light yellow, firm, fine textured, melting, very 
juicy, flavour similar to Bartlett, quality good; ripens 25 Sept. at 
Brookings; recommended as a dessert variety. Tree: size medium; 
broad-oval, vigorous; moderately productive and moderately hardy at 
Brookings; shows more tolerance to fireblight than most varieties, 
adapted to parts of the northern Great Plains."

These descriptions in Brooks and Olmo seem usually to be supplied by the 
introducer.

Some reports say that the flavour is more intense than that of Bartlett, 
size a little smaller.

I have no personal experience of Luscious, but what I have read suggests 
that it is likely to be of wide usefulness in Zones 4 and 5, and perhaps 
in zone 3b. I suggest caution about rootstocks in areas that do not have 
fully reliable heavy snow cover though.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada


Ernest Plutko wrote:
> Anyone have experience with the hardiness of Luscious pear?  I see
> its hardiness listed as zone5, zone4, or zone3.  I don't know what to
> believe of hardiness zones listed for plants by sellers?  They seem
> to push plant hardiness as more hardy than they really are.