Pears | Minnesota Hardy
Pears
Pear trees are attractive throughout the growing season and provide abundant, creamy fruits. Trees are long-lived and can be fairly easy to grow in Minnesota.
Much like the apple breeding program, pear breeding at the University began in the early 20th century with the aim of developing varieties that would survive and produce well, despite Minnesota’s cold winters.
In more recent years, a goal of the fruit breeding team was to develop hardy, crisp-fleshed pears, similar to “Asian pears”, that were becoming familiar to regional consumers. Trees of the first release from this effort, Juicy Jewel™, will be available to purchase from licensed nurseries. Home gardeners should be able to purchase trees from retail garden centers in 2022 or 2023. Fruit will start becoming available from local orchards in 2025.
University of Minnesota Pear Varieties
Juicy Jewel®
Asian-type pear ripens mid-August
Fruit is attractive with an occasional orange-pink blush
Should be picked ripe, while crisp and with a yellow-green background color
Hardy in Zone 4
May be used as a pollinator for Summercrisp
Released in 2023
Purchase a license to grow Juicy Jewel® commercially
Summercrisp
Sweet flavored, crisp fruit ripens mid-August
Fruit is harvested while crisp and with a green background, often with a red blush
Hardy in Zone 4 - hardiest U of M pear
May be used as a pollinator for Juicy Jewel™
Released in 1986
Parker
Medium to large, yellow-bronze fruit ripens in September
Popular for its fine-grained, tender, juicy flesh
Fruit must be picked before it ripens
Upright, vigorous growing tree which may be susceptible to fire blight
Released in 1934
Bantam
Heirloom variety with limited availability
Released in 1940
Golden Spice
Small fruit, very hardy
Heirloom variety with limited availability
Released in 1949
Juicy Jewel
is a registered trademark of the University of Minnesota.
Expand all
Purchase a license to grow Juicy Jewel® pears commercially
Juicy Jewel® pear is currently available for nurseries to license through the University of Minnesota
Office of Technology Commercialization.
Juicy Jewel® pear is protected by United States Plant Patents or Plant Variety Rights in other countries. Propagation of these protected plants without a license is prohibited, even if you want to propagate one plant.
Purchase University of Minnesota pear trees
Parker and Summercrisp pairs are available at retail garden centers.
Juicy Jewel® Pear is protected by United States Plant Patents or Plant Variety Rights in other countries. Propagation of these protected plants without a license is prohibited, even if you want to propagate one plant. The following nurseries are licensed to sell Juicy Jewel® Pear trees:
Bailey Nurseries, Inc.
Cameron Nursery, L.L.C
Wafler Nursery
Purchase University of Minnesota pear trees
Parker and Summercrisp pairs are available at retail garden centers.
Juicy Jewel® pear is protected by United States Plant Patents or Plant Variety Rights in other countries. Propagation of these protected plants without a license is prohibited, even if you want to propagate one plant. The following nurseries are licensed to sell Juicy Jewel® Pear trees:
Adams County Nursery
(PA)
Bailey Nurseries, Inc.
(MN)
Cameron Nursery, L.L.C
(WA)
Cummins Nursery
(NY)
Gold Crown Nursery (WA)
Motz and Sons
(OR)
Schwope Brothers Nursery (OR)
Wafler Nursery
(NY)
Asian Pear vs European Pear
Pears can be divided into two simple categories: European and Asian. Asian pears are traditionally uniform in color (yellowish-tan) and shaped more like apples. Flavor-wise, they are sweet and juicy like a pear and, but their texture is crunchy, much like an apple.
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