North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Steven Covacci <filtertitle@aol.com>]

 Asian pears: fire-blight resistant cultivars; and inter-generic pear hybrids

What are the most fire-blight resistant cultivars of Asian pear? I believe that Cliff (KY) does really well with Chojuro and Yoinashi, if I remember correctly. Out here (NJ), a friend grows these two and has had no problem either.

Side question: European pear (Pyrus communis) and European mountain-ash (Sorbus acuparia) can readily cross-pollinate, open-pollinated. Rarely is the resulting offspring, Shipova, reproductively viable and to what extent even those are, I forgot – tests were done at the Arnold Arboretum. As far as I can tell, it looks as though European pear and American mountain-ash (S. sorbus) can hybridize.

Since European pear and Asian pear (P. serotina) can easily hybridize, I suppose that Asian pear and American mountain-ash can. Is this true? And since American mountain-ash and chokeberry (Photinia/Aronia) can form an inter-generic hybrid naturally – albeit rarely(?), can pear and chokeberry cross?

Thanks,

Steve Covacci

USDA zone 6b/7a; New Jersey

(p.s. to reduce redundancy – when replying, where practical, please remove my original text, except for subject heading and specific points being replied to.)