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  • From: "Brungardt, Sam" <Sam.Brungardt@state.mn.us>
  • To: "North American Fruit Explorers" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] a pear for Iowa zone 4
  • Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:51:26 -0500

Title: RE: [NAFEX] a pear for Iowa zone 4

Pears other than Luscious that should be hardy in Iowa's Zone 4 are Honeycrisp (an Asian type from Univ. of Minnesota), Lincoln, Parker, Patten (selected in Iowa), and Golden Spice (an old.

Here are the Iowa Extension Service recommendations for northern Iowa:
Pears (Most pears are self-unfruitful.)

  • Summercrisp  Early to mid-August.  Medium size fruit, green skin with red blush, hardy; good resistance to fireblight; introduced by the University of Minnesota.  [This pear is best eaten before it is fully ripe.  It is not suitable for canning.]
  • Maxine  Late August.  Large fruit, yellow skin, firm juicy white flesh, good fresh and canned; resistant to fireblight.
  • Seckel  Early to mid-September.  Small fruit, yellowish brown skin, excellent for cooking and canning; some resistance to fireblight; also known as Sugar Pear.
  • Luscious   Early to mid September.  Medium size fruit, yellow skin with red blush; developed at South Dakota State University.
  • Kieffer   Early October.  Medium to large fruit; coarse, gritty-textured white flesh; poor for fresh use, best suited for processing, hardy.

Asian Pears   Asian pears are relatively new to the United States.  Asian pears differ from the common or European pears in that they can be eaten while still firm like an apple, or allowed to fully ripen like European pears.  Generally Asian pears are not as winter hardy as European pears and exhibit little resistance to fireblight.  Until more is known about variety adaptability, any planting of Asian pears should be on trial basis.  Gardeners in southern Iowa may wish to try Chojuro and Twentieth Century.

In addition, here are the pears that the Univ. of Minnesota Extension Service recommends for Zone 4:

  • Gourmet: From South Dakota State University, 'Gourmet' produces medium-sized fruit in mid- to late September that are juicy and sweet with a firm, crisp texture somewhat reminiscent of an Asian pear.  'Gourmet' is pollen-sterile, so it cannot be used to pollinate a second pear tree.  It is somewhat resistant to fire blight.
  • Luscious: Also from South Dakota, 'Luscious' bears medium to medium-small fruits in mid to late September with a flavor similar to 'Bartlett,' but more intense. Texture is firm but melting.  Like ‘Gourmet,’'Luscious' reportedly is somewhat resistant to fire blight and is pollen-sterile.
  • Parker: An older University of Minnesota release (1934), 'Parker' produces fruit similar in size, flavor and texture to 'Bartlett.'  Somewhat less hardy than other varieties listed here, it may not grow well north of the Twin Cities.  Harvest mid-September.
  • Patten: Originally from Iowa, 'Patten,' like 'Parker,' produces fruit comparable in character to 'Bartlett.'  Hardiness is slightly better than 'Parker.'  Both 'Parker' and 'Patten' are reputed to produce some fruit without a second variety for cross-pollination.  Harvest mid- to late September.
  • Summercrisp: Released by the University of Minnesota in 1985, 'Summercrisp' produces medium-sized, red-blushed fruit that is mild and sweet with a crisp texture strongly reminiscent of an Asian pear.  Hardy in most of Minnesota and moderately resistant to fire blight.  An early variety—harvest in mid-August.
  • Ure: Developed in 1978 at the Morden, Manitoba Research Station, and potentially hardy through most of Minnesota, ‘Ure’produces small, juicy 'Bartlett'-type fruit with good flavor when perfectly ripe.  In areas too cold for other pear varieties, 'Ure' may be grown with the inedible Siberian pear (Pyrus ussuriensis) for pollination.  ‘Ure’ripens in mid-August.

Other reputedly hardy pear varieties may be available through various mail-order sources, but have not been tested by the University of Minnesota. Grow untested varieties on a trial basis only.

  • Also, Golden Spice is a variety released by the University of Minnesota breeding program in 1949 and is still sometimes seen in nurseries.  'Golden Spice' is hardy into USDA Zone 3, making it useful as a pollenizer for ‘Ure’.  Small 1 ¾”pears ripen in September; however, confusion exists as to eating quality.  Some sources report the fruit to be spicy and pleasant for fresh eating while others report bitter, inedible fruit.  Whether the reason is misnamed nursery stock or a flavor that varies widely depending upon site, weather and/or harvest timing, you may not want to choose ‘Golden Spice’as your primary variety.

Finally, Jung's Nursery in Randolph, Wis., offers Jung's Hardy Wisconsin pear (which is in reality the 'Ewart' cultivar).

And Nursery, near Eau Claire, Wis., recommends these:
CLAPPS FAVORITE - Though zoned from 5-8, there are many reports of good results in zone 4. Clapps is a large early season pear, lemon yellow with red cheeks. An annual bearer, fruit is fine textured, juicy and delicately flavored.

FLEMISH BEAUTY - Commercially grown in West Central Wisconsin, fruit is large, highly flavored and very tasty. Skin is cream yellow and lightly blushed with bright red. Trees are generally vigorous and highly productive.

HARDY - Zones 4-7. Large greenish-yellow fruit with bronze russett. Very sweet, juicy and aromatic. Ripens 1 to 2 weeks later than Bartlett. Excellent cross pollinator.

LUSCIOUS - Zones 4-8. Juicy, sweet, medium to small bright yellow fruit. Blooms in early May. Ripens mid September.
PARKER - Zone 4-8. An introduction of the University of Minnesota in 1934, it is an open pollinated seedling of Manchurian pear. Produces large, yellow-bronze fruit that is fine grained, tender and juicy. Upright and vigorous, it is an excellent pollinator for Luscious.

PATTEN - Zone 4-8. Patten is one of the best pollinators for most other pear trees. Trees also produce fruit of very good size and quality, tender and juicy.

SUMMERCRISP - Zone 4-8. Fruit is medium size, yellow in color with white, juicy flesh. Ripens in late August.  A good selection for canning or eating fresh.  Tree is upright and vigorous, Fireblight resistant.


Hope this helps. -- Sam Brungardt, St. Paul, Minn. (USDA Zone 4b).

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Douglas Woodard
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 3:19 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] a pear for Iowa zone 4


I doubt that any pear in the Van Well catalogue would suit your climate
with the *possible* exception of Flemish Beauty, and then I might be a
little doubtful about the rootstock if you ever have open winters.
Flemish Beauty is a very high quality pear for fresh eating, not so good
for canning I hear. It is prone to fireblight and pear scab.

Luscious would be hardy with you and is of good quality, originated in
South Dakota I believe.

Have a look at St. Lawrence Nursery http://www.sln.potsdam.ny.us

Do your shade tree pears bloom enough for pollination? If not you might
need two kinds. I also wonder a little about the timing if they are of
another species.

Doug Woodard
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada



Toni Pralle wrote:
> I'm in the process of ordering my peaches from www.vanwell.net
> <http://www.vanwell.net/> . Playing phone tag with the salesman for
> two days..........and reading the fine print in the catalog. I'll have
> to pay $5 for a less than $25 order SO I may as well order another
> tree to bring my total up ;-) I'm thinking about a pear. The two pears
> I have are shade trees. After reading speculation/facts here, I am
> sure they will always be shade trees. I thought I might order a pear
> from Van Well to go with my peaches. Do I have any choice for this
> growing area? I remember as a kid there was a pear tree next door. I
> think it had pears every year. That makes me think it's possible.
> Spring can come so late and winter so early, I don't know how to
> choose one.  North Iowa zone 4. Help!
>
> --
> Toni in zone 4 Iowa USA
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