My lovely little pear tree (Pear Tree)

Member Name: micksheff

Product:	Pear Tree
Date:	13/02/08 (979 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to grow, lovely juicy fruit.

Disadvantages: Susceptible to pests and diseases

Along with the apple, orange and banana, the pear is one of the most familiar British fruits. Oranges and bananas do not grow naturally in the UK so I have always considered pears to be the second British fruit, after the apple.

When I was growing up my Auntie always had an orchard that was full of apple trees and pear trees, and even the odd gooseberry bush. I was always very envious of my Cousins and longed for an orchard of my own, but as my parents explained an orchard in our much smaller garden was not practical.

And so my dream of having my very own orchard stayed with me into my adult life. About 4 years ago I decided that I would plant a variety of different tree seeds with the intention of transferring them to my garden when they were large enough. These seeds included native British trees like oak, beech and sycamore as well as apple and pear seeds.

Almost all of these seeds sprouted successfully and I now have several small trees. Due to concerns regarding lack of space however I have left these in pots rather than actually planting them in my garden, as I hope to move somewhere with a larger garden in the near future.

My pear tree is now about 18 inches tall and stands in a 12-inch diameter pot. This pot is positioned outdoors on my patio and apart from the occasional watering during dry weather it receives virtually no attention, yet despite this, it appears to be thriving.

All Pear trees belong the genus Pyrus. The commonest type of pear found growing in Britain is commonly referred to as a "European Pear." Whist I presume that my pear tree is of this species, I cannot be entirely certain of this as it was grown from the pip of a fruit purchased in a local supermarket.

Pears belong to the same family of plants as apples and visually both of trees are usually quite similar in appearance. The main distinguishing features between these two plants is usually from the fruit these trees produce. This fruit being referred to colloquially as "Apples" or "Pears".

The fruit of the pear tree is edible and usually has a distinctive bell-like shape. This is in contrast to the round shape of the apple fruit. Whilst this general rule can be applied in most circumstances it cannot be entirely reliable. There are a few varieties of pear that resemble apples and also apples that look like pears. These oddities have usually come about as a result of cross breeding and hybridisation. The main botanical distinction between the two species is to do with the tissue of the fruit, in the case of the pear there are clusters of cells, within the core of the fruit, filled with a hard woody deposit, known as "grit," This does not occur in apples.

Pear trees flower a few weeks earlier than apple trees. My pear tree is not quite mature enough to bear flowers, but next Spring, or the following year it should develop clusters of small white flowers. When these flowers die they will leave behind a tiny fruit, which should be large enough to pick in the Autumn.

Ideally, pear trees prefer a warm, sunny position in the garden, so I guess that the position of the pot on my patio is more or less ideal. The soil should be kept moist and not be allowed to completely dry out. I have made sure that my pot has a hole in the bottom of it because pear trees also prefer a well drained soil.

Pear trees can be rather susceptible to pests and diseases so it is recommended that the leaves are checked regularly. The most common problems are brown leaf rot, which is caused by a fungus. As its name suggests it turns the leaves brown. The other common problem is attack by pear mites. Both are these problems are treatable but as with most things of this nature prevention is always better than a cure.

Overall I think that pear trees make a welcome addition to any British garden. They are easy to grow and when mature enough they should produce lovely juicy fruit.

Summary: Pears are one of the most commonly grown fruits in Britain