Description:

Cultivated near Korla, in western China, these delicious pears are best eaten when firm; white flesh is very sweet, juicy, with a floral aroma; the skin is smooth, yellow and green in color, with a slight red blush; round to egg shaped

Edible Qualities

Korla Fragrant Pear is a small tree that is commonly grown for its edible qualities. It produces chartreuse oval pears (which are botanically known as 'pomes') with a scarlet blush and white flesh which are usually ready for picking from late summer to early fall. The pears have a sweet taste with a soft texture and a pleasant fragrance.

The pears are most often used in the following ways:

• Fresh Eating
• Cooking
• Baking
• Juice-Making

Features & Attributes

Korla Fragrant Pear is bathed in stunning clusters of white flowers along the branches in mid spring. It has dark green foliage with grayish green undersides. The oval leaves turn outstanding shades of yellow and orange in the fall. The fruits are showy chartreuse pears with a scarlet blush, which are carried in abundance from late summer to early fall. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up.

This is a dense deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition. This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Messy
• Disease

Aside from its primary use as an edible, Korla Fragrant Pear is sutiable for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Orchard/Edible Landscaping

Planting & Growing

Korla Fragrant Pear will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more. This variety requires a different selection of the same species growing nearby in order to set fruit.

This tree is typically grown in a designated area of the yard because of its mature size and spread. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.