Building a Sustainable Nursery
On Pears: Invasiveness, Thoughts from the Orchard and Deliciousness
The Pear: From Orchard to Table - A Journey Through Flavor and Economics
In this issue of our Backyard Nursery Crop Profile series, we’ll be diving into the world of pears. From European to Asian varieties, these fruits are beloved for their sweet, juicy flesh and versatile uses.
Plant Profile and Native Range
Pears are not native to the U.S., with a total of zero species of Pyrus found naturally in the wild here. However, there is a very invasive Pyrus species that has spread across large part of the country—Pyrus calleryana, commonly known as the Callery pear or Bradford pear.
These trees were originally planted as ornamental landscape plants but have become a major ecological concern in my area. Bradford pears, with their fast growth and ability to thrive in a variety of conditions, are now found throughout the hillsides, crowding out native plants and disturbing local ecosystems.
For more on the ecological impact of Pyrus calleryana, check out the articles here:
Story from the Orchard
Pears are a fruit I’ve grown and have the most experience with in my own nursery. When my dad planted our original orchard in 2017, he was determined to avoid creating a monoculture. In addition to apple trees, he included several pear cultivars: two Kieffer pears, a Comice seedling, and a wild pear we found and added to the rotation.
There is also an old pear tree in decline at the local post office. Each year, the pears fall and rot beneath the tree, but rather than let them go to waste, we collect them and bring them to the farm. This usually results in 100+ pounds of modest-sized fruit, slightly smaller than a baseball, which we scatter around the orchard as wildlife feed.
The deer around the farm seem to appreciate this, especially since the fruit trees hadn’t yet started producing. It’s a great way to draw wildlife to the orchard, which was one of the original goals of the farm—to ethically and sustainably harvest wild game.
As a permaculturist, I believe that challenges often present opportunities for creative solutions. For example, if you have Pyrus calleryana (Bradford pears) sprouting up in your area and you’re worried about them taking over, why not turn it into an opportunity?
Chop off the tops and graft on a desirable European or Asian pear variety. Bonus points if you graft a variety that blooms in the same window as the local Bradford pear population, potentially reducing the invasiveness while improving your harvest.
This thought was inspired by an idea from Eliza Greenman on YouTube, where she suggests that if we top-work enough European pears in the same pollination window as Bradford pears, it might help increase average fruit size of wild seedlings and reduce the plant’s invasive tendencies.
I’ve also seen people using goats to control invasive species. There are plenty of methods to deal with invasives, and rather than living in fear about the state of our ecosystems, I prefer to focus on finding solutions.
Plant Propagation and Notes
When it comes to growing pears, grafting is the most common method to ensure you get the desirable traits of your chosen varieties. Many of the rootstocks used for commercial pear production, like OHF X97 and X87, were achieved through growing pears from seed. While I rarely find wild pear seedlings on our property, when I do, they’re typically too young to bloom and thus not a concern for cross-pollination.
Our orchard mainly consists of European pears (Pyrus communis), with the exception of one cultivar, the "Korean Giant" (Pyrus pyrifolia). To propagate pears from seed, I store the seeds in peat moss in the fridge after harvesting the fruit, and then sow them in air-prune beds or directly in the ground in late winter/early spring, usually around mid to late March.
Economics of Pear Production
Pears are a significant crop in the U.S. During the 2021/2022 market year, the U.S. exported 244.3 million pounds of fresh pears, valued at $148 million, and 6.2 million pounds of prepared pears, valued at $3.9 million. Six states produce the majority of pears in the U.S.—California, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Among these, California, Oregon, and Washington dominate pear production.
In 2020, Washington led the country in pear production, with 295,090 tons valued at $535 per ton. Oregon produced 258,230 tons valued at $518 per ton, while California produced 144,740 tons valued at $565 per ton (NASS, 2021).
Recipes to Try
If you’re looking to make the most of your homegrown pears, here are a couple of delicious recipes to try:
Pear and Goat Cheese Pizza (add bacon for a salty sweet bite)
No Bake Caramel Pear Cheesecake
Butternut Squash, Brussels, and Cranberry Pear
Wood Uses
Pear wood, particularly from older, mature trees, is prized for its fine grain and rich color. It’s typically used for making furniture, wood turning, and even smoking meats for a rich, aromatic flavor.
My Favorite Cultivars
Sunrise
Blake’s Pride
Honeysweet
Korean Giant
Community Engagement
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Crop Profile Directory
If you’re enjoying this newsletter and want to learn more about the plants I will be growing and how to incorporate them, you’re in luck!
Below is a directory of the past three crop profiles. Feel free to browse and explore—happy reading! 👋
Thank you for being here with me on this journey of edible plants, sustainable practices, and the joys of nurturing local flora.
I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts and suggestions! I’ll be back in your inbox next week! 👍🏼
Much love
Many blessings
Travis
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My wife @justfarmerjulie has been grafting onto the many Bradford pears sprouting up on our property. It's so fulfilling to watch a "weed" turn in a cultivar you want. Thanks for sharing your journey on here! We're in the process of starting a permaculture nursery too, so it's fun to follow along with someone else doing the same!
Callery pears, the thorny $&@!, are trying to take over my pasture.
Much like you suggested, this year I am topping them and will graft Asian pears onto them.
I also bought a Bushbar, basically a pry with a fulcrum added, and will try to uproot the smaller ones. I don’t know - they have suckers going every where and they are deep.