Common pear. Pear tree: history of origin, description of the tree and fruit

In the subject of plant science, a plant such as a pear is considered the only and unique one in the Rosaceae family. First appeared in European countries. In order for a tree to receive conditions for survival and to grow in favorable conditions, it is necessary: an abundant number of light rays, fertile soil, black soil and a sufficient amount of moisture.

The length of the tree should not exceed 31 m. Moreover, its lifespan can be about 49 years. Trees are propagated mainly by planting seedlings, cuttings and seeds.

Representation of the pear plant

The plant itself is a huge tree with a length of about 31 m or can be a huge shrub less than 31 m long. Bark mostly wrinkled and uneven, the trunk can reach 75 cm in diameter. The tree of the plant differs from its other representatives in improved density and strength. The branches of the pear are completely covered with leaves. The leaves are a pointed oval. Leaf color mostly dark green, and the leaves themselves are in most cases shiny.

In the spring Huge flowers appear on the trees, mostly pink and white. They can grow either one at a time or collect several pieces in an inflorescence. The stalks on which such flowers are located reach a length of almost 6 centimeters. The crown of the flower is the same color as the flower itself, namely pink or white. In this case, there are stamens, the number of which does not exceed 50 units, and the pistil itself includes 5 columns. The flowers grow until the first leaves appear on the pear.

Fruit, which germinate after some time, are varied in taste, shape and smell. Usually these criteria are directly related to what type of fruit it is. The pear fruit itself has a round, oblong and slightly elongated shape. The seeds contained in the pear are covered with a brown peel.

This tree blooms mainly in spring. Wherein flowering period can reach 2 weeks. For the most part, this period begins in late April and lasts until the middle or end of May. And already at the end of summer and beginning of autumn, or rather in the last days of August and the beginning of autumn, ripe and tasty fruits appear. However, in the first years of the tree’s life there are no fruits, because the tree begins to bear fruit only after 2-7 years of life. This type of pear, like the common one, lives for 49 years and bears ripe fruit for about 45 years.

It is also necessary to pay attention, in order for the tree to begin to bear fruit, it is necessary to plant at least two varieties of pears nearby, which will be able to mutually pollinate each other. These can be a wide variety of pear varieties, but varieties such as Vnuchka, Tema, Polya are some of the most famous. And secondly, these pear varieties adapt well to winter weather. Also, these fruits are one of the most delicious; their fruits can be eaten fresh.

Distribution of pears

Any type of fruit thrives in countries such as Asia or Europe. For good life, a tree needs soil rich in nutrients and high-quality black soil. Very often wild trees can be found in elevated areas. In such areas, air drainage is well developed.

Therefore, pears often need to be planted and propagated in elevated areas, otherwise poor ventilation in low areas and stagnation of cold air leads to poor and sometimes stale fruits. Most pear varieties are highly susceptible to severe frost or drought. However, in winter, branches and wood often freeze on the pear tree. Severe frosts in the spring or a sharp change in temperature can adversely affect the buds of flowers - they can be damaged.

Description of the fruit

Fruits of any type are extremely popular among consumers all over the world. After all, each fruit contains a huge amount of vitamins. In addition, the fruit has a very pleasant and sweet taste. Pears contain vitamins A, C, B1, as well as a huge amount of fiber, pectin, etc. Any type of pear will taste sweet, unlike apples. All this is due to the fact that pears contain the minimum amount of sugar and acids.

Pears are often used to make sweet juice, delicious wine or other desserts. Dry fruits are used for preparing various decoctions. At the same time, the juices made from pears are predominantly sweet, due to the fact that pears contain a huge amount of vitamins and microelements. Also, compote is often made from pears, mainly dry ones. This compote will help quench your thirst much better than compotes made from other fruits or berries.

Application of pear fruits

Crown formation

Blooming speed, the quality and quantity of fruits directly depend on how correctly the shape of the branches is formed. The branches need to be pruned frequently to give them the correct shape. After you have planted a tree, be it a small or already mature pear, you must constantly take care to ensure that the tree’s crown is formed correctly.

There are several ways to form the desired shape of tree branches:

first and the most important way- This is pruning, which is carried out to reduce the length of shoots and branches. Thanks to this, new shoots are created and appear, which will be more fruitful, as well as buds. Shoots are pruned mainly after one year of the tree's life. By pruning and reducing the number of branches, a huge amount of light is created for the crown, which leads to the formation of more buds;
By bending the branches, improved tree growth can be achieved. In order for a pear tree to bear fruit well, its branches are bent a small number of degrees from the trunk.

When the time comes to replant a seedling, you must first pay attention to the skeleton of the tree crown.

Important materials

Those varieties that are most often in demand in the national economy originate from the most common wild plant.

In ancient times the Greeks selected the most delicious and huge fruits in order to then cultivate them. And the fruits came to Russia from Byzantium. At first, trees were grown only near monasteries. In total, there were about 16 species that were brought to Russia. However, after some time, Peter I ordered that more and more new species of this fruit be brought into the country every year. The fact is that Peter I really liked the fruits that were delivered at that time, and he became their big fan.

Pear juice has also gained immense popularity during the reign of Peter I.

Today there are about 6,000 different types of pear. Each type and variety has a different size and taste of the fruit, as well as different length and strength of the tree.

Family: pink (Rosaceae).

Motherland

The genus is of relict origin. The cultivation of pears supposedly began in Ancient Greece.

Form: tree, bush.

Description

The pear is a fast-growing tree or shrub, reaching 5 to 25 meters in height. The vast majority of representatives of the genus are deciduous forms.

Pear leaves, as a rule, are dark green with a glossy upper side, have a broadly ovate shape, and the upper edge is short-pointed. White, five-petalled pear flowers are collected in sparse, 3-9 flowers, umbrella-shaped inflorescences. Pear buds come in two types: vegetative (oblong) and generative (round). Pear fruits most often have an oblong shape, widened at the bottom, and less often - spherical.

The genus pear has 33 species, distributed in two sections Pashia and Pyrus. Most of them are fruit trees and shrubs; ornamental pear species are less common.

(P. salicifolia) is a low tree, up to 10 meters in height, with a broadly ovate crown. Leaves are narrow-lanceolate, up to 8 cm long. Young leaves are silver in color and become dark green over time. White, rather large flowers are collected in corymbose inflorescences. The species is quite frost-resistant. The plant has a weeping "Pendula" form.

(P. elaeagrifolia) - a tree up to 10 meters high with a wide crown. The leaves are lanceolate, similar in shape to oleaster leaves, and are orange or bright yellow in autumn. The species is especially decorative during flowering, when it is densely covered with large pink flowers. Small fruits, up to 2 cm in diameter, give the tree a spectacular appearance throughout the summer and autumn. The species is winter hardy.

(P. communis) is a tall tree, up to 20 meters in height, characterized by a slow growth rate. The leaves are elliptical or rounded-ovate in shape on long petioles, young ones are pubescent, mature ones have a glossy upper side. The flowers are large and white. The species is drought- and frost-resistant, adapted to urban conditions. It has a number of decorative forms.

(P. ussuriensis) is a tree reaching a height of 15 meters. The dense crown has a tent-shaped shape in good light. The leaves are ovate, glossy, dark green in summer, purplish-red in autumn. The flowers are white, fragrant, very large - up to 4 cm in diameter. This species blooms before the leaves appear. Relatively frost-resistant, tolerates urban environments well. It is one of the rare and endangered species.

Growing conditions

Pear is a rather unpretentious tree. Most species do not have special requirements for soil composition and exposure, but develop better in well-lit areas and loose, humus-rich soils. Decorative representatives of the genus usually tolerate urban conditions well. Planting pears in too shaded places is undesirable - this will not have the best effect on the appearance of the trees.

Application

In landscape design, decorative types of pears are used for decoration, as well as in group plantings and compositions. Short representatives of the genus go well with large ones, which during the growing season serve as an excellent background for pears.

Light-loving species with a spreading crown are good quality. They can decorate the lawn, or plant nearby to create dense shade.

For the most part, pears are fruit plants that produce juicy, tasty fruit. The tree also has valuable wood, which is used for making musical instruments, furniture, etc.

Care

Young pear plants are more susceptible to drought than older ones, so they should be watered deeply and frequently. Immediately after planting, the pear is watered once every 3-4 days; as it grows, the periods between waterings are increased to once every 20-30 days, depending on the weather and soil conditions. It is recommended to periodically loosen the soil around the plants to a depth of 10 cm, while removing weeds.

The pear gratefully responds to fertilizing, which begins in the second year of the plant’s life. Once or twice a year it is fertilized with peat or manure and once a year, in the fall, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied.

The pear tolerates well, and an annual sanitary haircut is absolutely necessary for it to maintain a spectacular appearance. Pear pears are pruned in the spring 2-3 weeks before the start of the growing season, removing dried, broken, frozen and diseased branches. Thin out the crown as necessary.

Young plants are insulated for the winter by tying the trunk with coniferous branches or burlap. The root system is protected with an additional layer of soil, which is raked to the side as the weather warms up.

Reproduction

Pears can be propagated by seeds and grafting, and for some varieties cuttings are successfully used.

The seed method is practiced quite rarely, most often for growing rootstocks, since specimens grown in this way do not always retain the properties of the mother plants. Seeds are taken from healthy, high-quality fruits that ripen on the south side of the tree. For better germination, pear seeds are then sown in open ground in a sunny area. If possible, you can sow the seeds in a place where the pear will grow constantly, then there will be no need to replant the plant; it will be enough to remove the weak seedlings, leaving the best specimen. It is best to propagate pears by seeds in the fall. Then, in the spring, seedlings will appear, which by autumn will grow to about 60 cm, which can be replanted if necessary. In the future, seedlings should be cared for in the same way as seedlings purchased from a nursery.

You can graft a pear using any of the known methods; the plant has good survival rate. It is best to take seedlings of wild pear or Ussuri pear as a rootstock. However, in their absence, seedlings of other pear species adapted to local conditions can be used. In addition, the pear takes root well on a rootstock of seedlings; low-growing trees are obtained in this way.

Cuttings of most types of pears is a rather complicated process. Pear cuttings take root poorly; depending on the variety, about 10-20% of the planting material takes root. In central Russia, pears are propagated by cuttings from June 10 to June 30.

Diseases and pests

Common pear diseases are cytosporosis and black cancer, caused by special types of fungus. In both cases, the pear bark, its leaves and hearths are damaged. Prevention of diseases consists of proper care of plants - timely watering and fertilizing, autumn whitewashing of trunks and treatment of mechanical damage with garden varnish. At the first symptoms of disease, the affected parts of the plants should be completely removed, the sections should be treated with copper sulfate, then with garden pitch.

Another pear disease is septoria. Its symptom is the appearance of brown spots on the leaves of the plant in May-June; in the future, the disease leads to early leaf fall. To treat a tree, you will need to spray it repeatedly (4-6 times per season) with a solution of Bordeaux mixture.

Rust of apple and pear trees is a disease that does not occur very often. Its causative agent is a fungus. To eliminate the problem, you will need to immediately eliminate the affected branches and spray the plant with any fungicide.

Diseases such as scab and fruit rot are more typical of fruit plants. However, if ornamental pears are affected by them, you should immediately treat the trees with any suitable preparation and more carefully follow the rules of agricultural technology.

The pear tree has more than enough natural enemies. It can be attacked by various types of mites, pear moth, pear sawfly, pear tubeworm, bark beetle, aphid, leaf roller and other pests. To combat them, it is necessary to use specialized products aimed at specific types of pests.

Popular varieties and forms

Decorative varieties of pears:

‘Calliere Chanticleer’– the narrow columnar crown of plants becomes spreading with age, abundant flowering, foliage in autumn turns into bright red and orange tones;
'Beach Hill'– narrow pyramidal crown; in autumn the foliage turns orange or bright yellow.

Botanical name: Common pear (Pyrus communis) is a species of the genus Pear, family Rosaceae.

Homeland of the common pear: Eastern Europe, Western Asia.

Lighting: photophilous.

The soil: fertile, drained, moist.

Watering: moderate.

Maximum tree height: 30 m.

Average life expectancy: 25-50 years.

Landing: seeds, cuttings, seedlings.

Description of the pear tree: fruit, crown and flowering

The common pear is a tall tree, reaching up to 25 m, or a large shrub. The trunk is straight, up to 80 cm in diameter, with wrinkled bark. The wood is strong and hard. The crown is dense, abundantly branched.

The leaves are round or oval, shortly pointed, leathery, shiny, finely toothed, dark green above, matte below. They are supported by long petioles. The photo of pear leaves clearly shows their features.

The flowers are large, white or pink, solitary or collected in inflorescences of 6-12 pieces. They are located on stalks up to 5 cm long. They are formed from last year's fruit buds. They have a white or pink corolla, 20-50 stamens, and a pistil with 5 styles. Appear before the leaves bloom.

The fruits are oblong, round, pear-shaped. The size, shape, color and taste may vary depending on the variety. The fruit contains seeds covered with a brown skin. Pear flowering begins at the end of April, lasts until mid-May, lasting for 10-15 days. The fruits ripen in August-September. The pear tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 3-8 years.

The lifespan of a tree is 25-50 years.

When describing the pear tree, it should be noted that all varieties of this crop are self-sterile, therefore, for normal fruiting, the proximity of two mutually pollinating varieties is required. The most popular winter-hardy varieties are “Sibiryachka”, “Polya”, “Vnuchka”, “Povislaya”, “Tema”. Their fruits have a good taste and are suitable for fresh consumption.

Photos of the pear tree and some of its varieties can be seen in the gallery after this article.

Growth

The common pear tree is widespread in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It grows wild in central and southern Russia, the Caucasus, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Chernozem, gray forest and loamy soils, structural and fertile in composition, are suitable for this plant. The tree often settles on hills and slopes with good air drainage.

The growth of the common pear in lowlands and closed pits, where cold air stagnates, negatively affects its growth and fruiting.

Pear fruit trees are moisture-loving, but cannot tolerate stagnation of water in the soil and excessive waterlogging. Many varieties are drought and frost resistant. However, in severe winters, wood and skeletal branches may freeze. Flower buds are damaged by sudden temperature changes and spring frosts.

Fruit of the pear tree

The pear fruit contains sugars, organic acids, nitrogenous and tannins, pectins, fiber, phytoncides, vitamins A, B1, PP, C. A large number of microelements have been found in many varieties.

Pear fruits contain less sugar than apples, but due to their low acid content their taste is sweeter.

The fruits are used in fresh, dried and canned form, and are used to make desserts, juices, and wine drinks. Compotes are made from dried fruits. Pear juice is rich in tannins, flavonoids, catechins, and anthocyanins. Fresh pears are easily absorbed by the body and regulate the functioning of the digestive tract. A decoction of dried fruits perfectly quenches thirst.

Other photos of pear fruits are presented at the bottom of this page in the photo gallery.

Application of the pear

The fruits are used in the food industry and in folk medicine. Dried pear seeds are used as a coffee substitute.

The plant is also used on the farm. This individual is suitable as a rootstock for growing different varieties of pears.

Wood is valued for its strength and beautiful pattern; it lends itself well to processing and polishing. It is used to make furniture, musical instruments, rulers, toys and other products. It is very popular among artists and sculptors.

Common pear leaves

Common pear leaves are rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and the glycoside arbutin. They are a medical drug prescribed to combat fungal diseases and dermatitis.

The flowers of this plant produce a lot of nectar. From one hectare of pear orchard you can collect up to 25 kg of honey and a large amount of pollen.

The common pear is a valuable ornamental tree, therefore it is planted in personal plots, in parks, squares, and along roads.

The photo of the pear below demonstrates this:

Formation of a pear crown: video and description

The pear crown undergoes periodic pruning. The quality of plant growth, the nature of fruiting and the yield of the tree depend on a properly formed crown. The formation of the pear crown begins in the first years of the tree’s life. This work is carried out in two ways: pruning and bending branches. When pruning, shoots are shortened and branches are thinned out. Shortening the shoots promotes the awakening of new buds and the formation of shoots. When shortening annual shoots, the cut is made above the bud. After thinning the branches, the illumination inside the crown improves, which leads to the formation of more flower buds.

Bending down branches helps regulate the growth and development of the tree. In order to speed up fruiting, the main branches are deflected from the trunk at an angle of 50-60 °. Small branches are moved to a horizontal position, with their ends located slightly above the beginning of the main branch. The branches are bent down using wire; the attachment points are wrapped with electrical tape so as not to damage the bark.

In some cases, the crown skeleton is formed during transplantation of the seedling to a permanent location. For seedlings that do not have branches, the cut is made above the bud at a distance of 70 cm from the ground. From the remaining buds, lateral shoots are formed, from which the first tier of skeletal branches is formed.

Old trees need rejuvenating pruning, when the fruits have been significantly crushed, and the annual growth of shoots is 10-15 cm. With rejuvenating pruning, all old branches are removed, and skeletal and semi-skeletal branches are pruned. Annual shoots are pruned, leaving 2-3 lower buds. After this, highly developed shoots grow on the tree. Some of them serve as a replacement for skeletal branches, while other shoots are transferred to fruiting. The branches that thicken the crown are cut out. After rejuvenating pruning, the tree needs enhanced care: abundant watering, fertilizing and treatment against pests.

The video will tell you in detail how the pear crown is formed:

A little history

Cultivated varieties of this plant originated from the wild common pear. Cultivation of the individual began in Ancient Greece by selecting large and sweet-fruited species. Pear fruit trees were brought to Russia from Byzantium. Initially, the plant was grown in monastery gardens. In the garden of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, there were about 16 varieties of pears. Peter the Great tried to increase the variety of varieties in Russia, therefore, by his decree, new seedlings were imported from Western Europe every year. Today, there are more than 5,000 varieties of this crop, differing in taste, color, fruit ripening period, shape and size.

Common pear (lat. Pyrus communis)– fruit crop; species of the genus Pear of the Rosaceae family. Another name is wild pear. The natural range covers territories from Eastern Europe to Western Asia. The cultivars are widely cultivated in temperate regions.

Characteristics of culture

The common pear is a deciduous shrub or tree up to 20 m high with a dense, highly branched crown and a straight trunk covered with wrinkled bark. The leaves are dark green, shiny, leathery, oval, rounded or oblong-rounded, pointed, finely toothed, sitting on long petioles. In autumn, the foliage turns brownish-golden or yellow with dark dots. When dry, the leaves turn black. The flowers are white, white-pink or pink, solitary or collected in corymbose inflorescences of 6-12 pieces, located on pedicels of medium length (up to 5 cm), formed from last year's fruit buds. Flowering is abundant, occurs in May and lasts up to 15-15 days.

The fruits are round, oblong-round or pear-shaped, depending on the variety they differ in color, shape and size. The fruits ripen in August-September. The seeds are brown, medium-sized. The common pear begins to bear fruit 3-8 years after planting. Important: all varieties of common pear are self-sterile; to ensure normal fruiting, at least two interpollinating varieties must be planted on the site. Currently, many winter-hardy varieties have been bred, but even they often drop their flowers during spring frosts. Sudden temperature changes also negatively affect flower buds. In harsh winters, skeletal branches and wood often freeze.

Growing conditions

The common pear prefers sandy loam, loamy, gray forest and chernozem, loose, fertile soils. Accepts silty-silty and heavy clay soils provided there is good drainage. Peat-bog substrates are not suitable for growing the species in question. It develops normally on slopes and hills, and in this case drainage is required. It has a negative attitude towards lowlands and areas where large amounts of melt water accumulate in spring.

The degree of moisture plays an important role when cultivating crops; excessive waterlogging or increased dryness are extremely undesirable. According to the pH reaction, soils should be neutral or slightly acidic; on alkaline soils, plants are severely depressed, practically do not produce fruit and are affected by various diseases, including scab. Plants react painfully in areas with close groundwater. The common pear is shade-tolerant, but does not bear fruit well in shaded areas.

Reproduction and planting

The common pear is propagated by grafting. Rootstocks of cultivated varieties of common pear can include Ussuri pear, forest pear, serviceberry, hawthorn, northern quince, hawthorn, chokeberry and rowan. On the last three rootstocks, pears are formed with weak growth, and a small harvest is produced in the second year. Experienced gardeners consider such grafts to be short-lived; they produce a good harvest of fruit for 6-10 years, after which breakage may occur at the grafting site. This is due to insufficient compatibility of the rootstock and the scion. If shadberry or chokeberry is used as a rootstock, then the pear is grown as a bush. Common rowan can also act as a rootstock; in this case, a pear cutting is grafted into the root collar of the rowan. The operation is performed in early spring before the buds open.

It is preferable to plant common pear seedlings in the spring; during autumn planting, young plants do not always have time to take root before the onset of cold weather and eventually die. Dimensions of the planting hole: depth 70-80 cm, width - 80-100 cm. The root collar of the seedling is not buried when planting, but is placed 6-10 cm above the soil surface. After planting, the soil in the tree trunk circle is slightly compacted, watered abundantly and mulched with organic material (peat, dry fallen leaves, humus, sawdust, etc.). The distance between vigorous varieties should be at least 4-5 m, between weak-growing ones - 3-3.5 m. When planting, humus or compost and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are added to the hole. If this procedure has not been carried out, fertilizing is carried out during the season (per 1 sq. m. 20 g of potassium salt, 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 50-60 g of superphosphate and 3-4 kg of compost or humus are needed).

Care

The first 2-3 years after planting, young plants need careful and timely care. The soil in the tree trunk zone is kept free of weeds. Regular watering is required, especially during prolonged drought. Mulching is encouraged; this procedure will protect the roots from overheating and greatly simplify maintenance. Fertilizers are applied once every 2-3 years. In case of severe depletion, fertilizing is carried out once a year. Recommended doses for annual feeding: compost or humus - 3 kg, superphosphate - 10-20 g, ammonium nitrate - 15 g, potassium chloride - 5-10 g.

In winter, the tree trunk area is insulated with a thick layer of mulch, and the trunks are tied with spruce branches. Whitewashing tree trunks is desirable; a chalk solution is used for young trees, and a lime solution is used for adults. The common pear requires systematic formative and sanitary pruning. Productivity and the nature of fruiting depend on a properly formed crown.

Pear is a representative of the genus of fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs. Belongs to the class Dicotyledons, department Floral plants, order Rosaceae, family Rosaceae, genus Pear ( Pyrus).

In the Old Russian chronicles of the 12th century, the pear is mentioned as “hrusha,” presumably because of the characteristic crunch when biting the fruit, and is consonant with some Slavic names: hruska (Czech), krusha (Bulgarian).

Pear wood is hard, dense, with a fine texture and barely noticeable growth rings. Due to the presence of special “stone cells”, dried raw materials are quite easy to process. Treated with black stain, pear wood perfectly imitates expensive ebony wood, and when exposed to hot air it turns red. As pear wood naturally ages, it acquires a distinctive amber color.

The average lifespan of a pear is 150-200 years, although some types of pear trees live up to 300 years.

Where does the pear grow?

In the wild, the pear is widespread in Europe and the countries of Central Asia, found in the form of deciduous thickets, but such wild pears produce small and completely tasteless fruits. As a result of successful breeding activities, the pear tree is also grown as a cultivated plant in household plots. Today, the distribution area of this tree extends from the Urals and regions of Western Siberia to the Crimea, Belarus, Ukraine, the foothills of the Caucasus, Japan, China, the southern and northern regions of the European continent.

Pear is a tree that grows on fertile, loose soils and produces abundant harvests of fragrant fruits. Moreover, the optimal soil for planting pears should be neutral or with minimal acidity. On poor, acidic and excessively wet soils, the pear takes root very difficultly and often refuses to bear fruit.

Planting a pear. How to plant a pear?

An important step is the correct choice of place for planting the pear and careful preparation of the planting hole. For planting, one- or two-year-old pear seedlings with a developed root system and no visible damage to the above-ground parts are used. Spring planting of pears is acceptable, although experts recommend planting pears in the fall - in the middle or end of September, when the leaves of the seedlings have fallen and sap flow has stopped.

The best soil for planting pears is clayey and loamy, with deep groundwater. Acidic soils are pre-limed. Choose a place for planting pear seedlings that is sunny and protected from the winds.

A planting hole 1 m wide and 80 cm deep is dug in advance. At a distance of 30 cm from the center, a stake is driven in, which is necessary for the proper growth of the tree.

8-10 kg of rotted manure or compost, 50 g of superphosphate, 30 g of potassium salt are added to the pit and mixed with a small amount of soil.

The pear seedling is placed in the hole and they begin to add soil, periodically shaking the tree itself. If planted correctly, the root collar will rise 6-8 cm above ground level. Then the soil is firmly trampled and several buckets of water are spilled. The trunk of the pear seedling is tied to a peg and finally the trunk circle is mulched with humus or manure so that the mulch does not touch the tree trunk.

Pear care

Young pear trees need to be watered regularly at the rate of 1 bucket of water per week; during drought, watering is increased.

Feeding pears

In the first 4 years, the pear is fed with nitrogen fertilizers, several times a season, and once a season with any potassium fertilizer. When loosening the tree trunk circle in spring and autumn, the same complex of fertilizers is applied as was used during planting. Starting from the 5th year, fertilizers are placed in specially dug grooves along the periphery of the crown.

Pruning and shaping the crown of a pear

The formation of the crown consists of spring and autumn pruning of branches. Remove close and parallel growing pear branches, shorten especially long ones, achieving the same length of the crown tier. The cut areas are covered with crushed coal or garden pitch.

Pear care in autumn

Autumn care for a pear tree includes a number of necessary activities:

1. sanitary pruning of branches;
2. preventive treatment against diseases and pests;
3. fertilizing pears with phosphorus fertilizer;
4. whitewashing pear trunk with lime;
5. digging and deep watering of tree trunk circles;
6. covering the tree trunk circle with straw or sawdust in a layer of up to 25-30 cm.

Pear care in spring

Spring pear care begins with removing the covers and repeats the autumn one, only phosphorus fertilizers are replaced with nitrogen ones.

Depending on the variety, the pear begins to bear fruit at 4-7 years of the tree’s life. Pear blossoms occur in April–May; pear harvest occurs, depending on the region, in August–September.

Pear propagation

Pears are propagated by seed, cuttings, layering and grafting. Seed propagation is more used by breeders to develop new varieties. People consider propagation by layering to be the simplest method, and the layering begins to bear fruit much earlier than the seedlings.

Pests, diseases and treatment of pear

Despite the resistance of modern pear varieties to a number of dangerous diseases, bad weather conditions and failure to comply with preventive measures can lead to tree disease:

scab

on pears it affects young branches, leaves, and ovaries of pears with characteristic dark spots 2-4 cm in diameter. The fruits become smaller and become tough.

stem rot

occurs from frost or sunburn, poor care or lack of nutrients. The bark of the pear tree turns dark red and the tree dries out.

powdery mildew

a fungal disease of pear, characterized by a whitish coating covering the branches, leaves and flowers, which leads to the fall of the ovaries.

pear sucker

feeds on the cellular sap of trees, causing the buds, leaves or buds of the pear to fall off.

pear codling moth

lays eggs on pear fruits, and the emerging caterpillars devour the pulp.

Timely treatment of pears with insecticidal preparations, colloidal sulfur, Bordeaux mixture, as well as sanitary pruning and burning of affected pear shoots and foliage help prevent the spread of the disease and in most cases save the plant.

Types of pears, names, descriptions and photographs

The modern classification includes 33 species of pear, divided into 2 botanical sections - Pashia and Pyrus. Below are several varieties:

common pear or wild(Pyrus communis, Pyrus domestica )

large shrub or tree up to 20 meters high. This type of pear gave rise to most of the cultivated varieties grown in the temperate climate zone. In nature, the wild pear is distributed from Eastern Europe to Western Asia. It is considered a good honey plant and a valuable dietary product. Varieties of common pear:

- Pyrus communis L. subsp. Communis
- Pyrus communis L. subsp. Caucasica– Caucasian pear
- Pyrus communis L. subsp. Pyraster– Forest pear

forest pear(Pyrus communis subsp. pyraster)

subspecies of the common pear. It grows in the form of low shrubs (up to 4 meters) and trees growing up to 20 meters. The forest pear gave birth to hundreds of cultivated varieties, and thanks to its durable wood, it is successfully used in carpentry and turning. This tree grows in the forests and forest-steppes of Central and Eastern Europe.

boissier pear(Pyrus boissieriana)

drought-resistant, rare type of pear, grows to a limited extent in Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, where it is listed in the Red Book. It is also found in northern Iran. Used as a rootstock and hybridization.

pear(Pyrus pyrifolia)

drought-resistant, not demanding on soil, has a trunk height of up to 20 m, varietal plants grow up to 6 m. The pear-leaved pear grows in the countries of Central Asia and the Russian Far East. It is widely used in agriculture, has a high decorative purpose, and in China is revered as a sacred tree.

Ussuri pear(Pyrus ussuriensis)

grows up to 15 meters in height and is characterized by increased frost resistance, due to which it is used in breeding as a source material. The Ussuri pear is widespread in the Far Eastern region of Russia, China and Korea.

pear(Pyrus elaeagrifolia)

It is characterized by a small height of up to 10 m and high resistance to frost (up to -25 degrees). Small pear fruits are used in cooking, and the trees are used as a rootstock and for gardening. In the wild, the shaggy pear is found in the Crimea and the Caucasus.

loose pear(Pyrus salicifolia)

This type of pear reaches a height of 8-10 m. The crown of the willow pear is lush, with openwork foliage and early mass flowering. The fruits are small and inedible, so the pear is mainly used as a rootstock for new varieties and as an ornamental plant.

Varieties of pears - names, descriptions and photos. Classification of pears

By ripening time:

Summer (early) varieties of pears,
Autumn (medium) varieties of pears,
Winter (late) varieties of pears.

By fruit size:

Large (large-fruited) varieties of pears,
Medium varieties of pears,
Small (small-fruited) varieties of pears.

By method of use:

Decorative pear,
Fruit pear.

According to winter hardiness:

Winter-hardy (frost-resistant) varieties of pears,
Not winter-hardy pear varieties.

By height:

Tall varieties of pears,
Medium-sized varieties of pears,
Low-growing varieties of pears,
Dwarf varieties of pears.

By crown type:

Varieties of pears with a pyramidal crown,
Varieties of pears with a round crown,
Columnar varieties of pears.

Taste:

Sweet pears,
Sweet and sour pears
Pears with a tart-bitter taste.

By pollination method:

Self-pollinating (self-fertile) varieties of pears;
Non-self-pollinating pear varieties.

Now let's look at each classification separately with examples of varieties.

Early (summer), middle (autumn), late (winter) varieties of pears, descriptions and photographs

Depending on the timing of ripening, pears are divided into early (summer), middle (autumn) and late (winter) varieties.

Early varietiespears ripen at the end of July - August; in cold regions, harvesting occurs at the beginning of September. Summer pears must be harvested on time. The fruit should not be allowed to overripe or fall off. Depending on the variety, summer pears are stored in a cool place for 7 to 17 days. Despite the limited shelf life, early fruits are distinguished by juiciness, excellent taste and high commercial value.

The following early (summer) varieties of pears are considered the most popular among gardeners:

“Chizhovskaya”;
“August dew”;
"Julia";
“Space”;
“Krasulya”;
“Cathedral”;
“Severyanka”;
"Victoria".

Variety Severyanka

Autumn (medium) varietiespears can be harvested in September - early October, the fruits have a short harvest period, which is shortened in the particularly hot summer season. Autumn varieties of pears are stored in a cool place for 45 to 70 days; during storage, their taste improves significantly. Most autumn varieties have increased resistance to frost.

The best middle (autumn) pear varieties:

“Autumn Dream”;
"Fun";
“Yakovlev’s Favorite”;
“Moskvichka”;
“Beauty Chernenko”;
"Conference";
“Nerussa”;
"Simply Maria".

Variety Conference

Winter (late) varietiespears They reach harvest maturity in mid-autumn and then ripen during storage, which is why they are grown mainly in regions with a mild climate. At a temperature of + 3-5 degrees, late winter pears, depending on the variety, are stored until January - April of the next year.

The most famous winter pear varieties:

“Pervomayskaya”;
“Noyabrskaya”;
"Nika";
“Cure” (“Williams winter”);
“Hera”;
“Belarusian late”;
“Kondratievka”;
“Yakovlevskaya”.

Winter variety Williams

Small, medium and large varieties of pears, descriptions and photographs

Depending on the size and weight of the fruit, large-fruited, medium-sized and small-fruited pear varieties are distinguished.

Large pear varieties - fruits weighing from 200 to 500 g and above. A pear with large fruits is characterized by stable fruiting and motivates owners to set personal records for growing giant fruits without the use of any chemicals.

The best large pear varieties:

“Bere Dil” (250-500 g);
“Marianna” (200-350 g);
“Marshal Zhukov” (320-560 g);
“Autumn large” (200-250 g);
“Space” (300-550 g);
“Vidnaya” (350-540 g);
“Clapp’s Favorite” (250-450 g);
“Bere Ardanpon” (200 – 250 g).

Variety Favorite Clapp

Average (medium-sized) pear varieties- fruits weighing from 80 to 200 g. The largest varietal group is characterized by increased fertility, which is why most trees are often overloaded with harvest.

Popular medium pear varieties:

“Ilyinka” (up to 150 g);
“Melting” (up to 200 g);
“Dicolor” (up to 150 g);
“Talgar beauty” (up to 200 g);
“Muratovskaya” (up to 150 g);
“Chizhovskaya” (up to 120 g);
“Lada” (up to 120 g);
“Annushka” (up to 140 g).

Variety Chizhovskaya

Small (small-fruited) varieties of pears have a fruit weight of 30-80 grams and are most often intended for processing and preparing compotes, jams, confitures and other desserts.

The best small varieties of pears:

“Ultra early”;
"Olga";
"Myth";
“Veselinka”;
“The first swallow”;
“Thumbelina”;
“Moskovskaya”;
“Severyanka”.

Variety Severyanka

According to the method of use, pears are divided into fruit and ornamental.

Fruit pear (technical, table, universal) – varieties, description and photographs

Fruit varieties of pears are divided into technical, table (dessert) and universal.

Technicalpear varieties mostly intended for recycling. The fruits cannot boast of high commercial qualities, but have excellent taste and aroma, and therefore are actively used in cooking and for preservation.

Technical pear varieties:

“Oryol Summer”;
“Melitopol juicy”;
"Granddaughter";
“Hanging”;
"Allegro".

Allegro variety

Canteens (dessert) pears They are consumed mainly fresh. The variety is distinguished by its excellent presentation, good shelf life and transportability, and, of course, excellent taste.

The most famous varieties of dessert pear:

“Bronze”;
"Dawn";
“Banquet”;
“Marble”;
“Perun”;
“Quiet Don”.

Variety Marble

Universal varieties of pears used both for processing and for fresh consumption.

The best universal varieties of pears:

“Zoe”;
“Otradnenskaya”;
“Bere winter Michurina”;
“Black Sea Amber”;
“Pidkumok”;
“Academic”.

Variety Otradnenskaya

Decorative pear: varieties, description and photographs

The ornamental pear comes from China and is a rare guest in Russian gardens. Trees of decorative varieties are very attractive, so they are ideal for landscaping private gardens and city parks. The fruits of most varieties of ornamental pear are small and inedible, but this deficiency is easily compensated for by the unusually beautiful foliage that forms graceful crowns, as well as high levels of winter hardiness.

The best varieties of decorative pear:

“Calliere Chanticleer”;
"Beach Hill"
"Loach";
“Liana.”

Beech Hill variety

Winter-hardy pear varieties, description and photo

Based on the degree of winter hardiness, a distinction is made between frost-resistant pear varieties, suitable for cultivation in risky farming conditions, and non-winter-hardy varieties, cultivated in areas with a warm climate.

Winter-hardy (frost-resistant) pear varieties bred mainly in the Far East from the Ussuri pear, the most winter-hardy in the world. Most varieties were selected back in the last century; they are reliable, time-tested and do not freeze out at temperatures of -30-35 degrees.

The best winter-hardy pear varieties:

“Dressy Efimova”;
"Subject";
“Lel”;
“Krasnopakharskaya”;
“Tyutchevskaya”;
“Dulya Novgorodskaya”;
“Thin Vetka”;
“Uralochka”.

Variety Uralochka

Not winter-hardypear varieties can be grown in the northern regions at their own risk, but in severe winters most varieties freeze out, although some agricultural practices can increase the frost resistance of trees.

Pear varieties not resistant to frost:

"Enchantress";
“Yeseninskaya”;
“January”;
“Kieffer” (“Kieffer’s seedling”);
“Bere Russian”;
“Kupava”;
“Morning freshness”;
“Black Sea Amber”.