I have fruited Hosui, Shinseiki, and Chojuro in zone 4/5. Chojuro is a bit
better than the others but doesn't reach full maturity most years. When the
first medium frosts come Asian pears are easily damaged, more so than apples
or Euro pears which can take lower temps without loss of quality to the
fruits.
Therefore I have chosen Asian pears with ripening date a priority, the
earliest to ripen are Hosui, Shinseiki, Shinsui, Kosui, and a couple others.
Two of the more hardy are Japanese Golden Russet and Yakumo according to my
records,(info from old Pomonas if I recall, or from Brian Perason) but I
haven't fruited them yet, and don't know if they are early ripening. I have
an unknown variety that has survived about 6 years in zone 3 northern WI on
Pyrus ussuriensis, topgrafted. It suffers some branch damage but we haven't
had a test winter since I planted it. I noticed that the fruit buds seem to
die whereas the leaf buds don't. So I suspect that in zone 3 I may get a
crop rarely if ever. I have a list comparing ripening dates and sugar
content of the earliest ripeners, I seem to recall this info came from Ed
Fackler. I'll post if if I come across it.
Brian Pearson who lives in Marinette or Menominee?, Wisconsin has tried many
many Asian pears, I fruited the one that he considered the most reliable
this year and it was very good.
The best Asian pear I have tasted is leaps and bounds better than any I have
tested, so sweet, and a little aromatic, but I lost the tag and don't know
its true ID. It was uphill from the rest of my pears and was not damaged by
frosts that absolutely ravaged the other A. pear fruits, either becasue it
was uphill (or perhaps the variety produces fruits that are higher in sugar
and so therefore can resist the frost). As far as I know it could be just a
common variety and differs from my other varieities only becasue it can
ripen its fruits longer due to its higher elevation. (only about 5 ft higher
but about 50 yards west of the rest of the A pear orchard).
Later
Kevin B
BTW I sometimes get the subject line wrong in my posts becasue I ahve to try
to remember what it is since I have to close the archives and go to my
hotmial account whenever I want to post a message which takes a long time,
and so I don't always recall the exact subject line. If anyone can telll me
why I can't post directly from the archives do tell.
<html><DIV>Kevin Bradley </DIV></html>
[NAFEX] Cold hardy asian pears,
Ed Forest, 11/10/2004