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Harrow Delight Pear

Pyrus communis (PY-russ kom-YOO-nis)

Family: Rosaceae Non-native Canopy (>40 ft)

This is a high-quality hybrid pear tree (Old Home x ‘Early Sweet’) x ‘Bartlett’ with an early bearing character. It is very resistant to Blight and Pear Scab. Although The Harrow Delight Pear tree is a heavy fruit bearing tree, it will take 2 to 3 years before your young tree will begin to produce fruits. Its highest fruit production will occur every 2 years. Proper placement of this tree can have a bearing on its successful fruit production. Avoid low-lying areas where cold pockets of air can form. A spot receiving full sun is required during the growing season in order for the fruits to succeed. When ripening is left to occur naturally, the fruits will not ripen evenly. Remove the fruit from the tree before they are fully ripened and allow to ripen in storage for 5 to 7 days. If they are left on the tree until they are soft to the touch, they will become a soft brown gritty mush. For the best production of fruits, prune your tree on an annual basis. For the highest quality fruits, thin your tree in late spring or early summer. The white flesh is juicy and sweet. Propagation is typically accomplished by grafting, using a clonal rootstock, that is one that is produced from the same type of tree you are attempting to duplicate. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: The most serious pear disease is fireblight. Insect issues can include leaf rollers, blister mites, aphids, caterpillars, and scale insects. Powdery mildew is also an issue. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Nuts," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Pyrus communis .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 68 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 1 - Canopy (>40 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Malus domestica 'Empire' Vaccinium corymbosum 'Climax' Vaccinium corymbosum 'Premier'

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in. | Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Irregular; Oval; Pyramidal
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy; Smooth
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The simple green leaves feature fine teeth on the margin.
Fall color
Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Showy
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
1.5 inch creamy white flowers bloom in early spring in clusters of 5 flowers.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Pome
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
> 3 inches long, > 3 inches wide
Fruit detail
It produces medium-sized, Bartlett-shaped yellow fruit with red blush. The flesh is smooth with almost no grit cells. The flavor is excellent. Ripens about two weeks before Bartlett.
Bark color
Light Gray
Bark detail
Prominent lenticels that grow fissured and scaly with age.
Stem color
Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Dwarf shoots on old wood. New stems are pointed.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Europe and western Asia
Wildlife value
Butterflies are attracted to the flowers.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Attracts Pollinators; Buffer; Easy to Grow; Edible fruit; Fragrance; Screening; Shade
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Pome

Edibility

It produces medium-sized, Bartlett-shaped yellow fruit with red blush. The flesh is smooth with almost no grit cells. The flavor is excellent. Ripens about two weeks before Bartlett.

Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn; Meadow; Patio; Walkways
Landscape theme
Cottage Garden; Edible Garden; Pollinator Garden
Design feature
Accent; Flowering Tree; Foundation Planting; Small groups; Specimen
Garden tags
#deciduous #flowering tree #fruit tree #edible fruits #humidity tolerant #heat tolerant #clay soils tolerant #sweet fruit #sweet taste #frost tolerant #th-taste #th-wildlife
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Aphids Found on Flowers and Foliage; Caterpillars That Feed on Trees and Shrubs
Disease problems
Disease and Insect Management in the Home Orchard
Propagation
Grafting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.