'Seckel' is a cultivar and smaller version of Pyrus communis , or the common pear. The 'Seckel' pear is an easily grown, vigorous tree that produces a good crop of sweet fruit. It is cold-hardy, frost resistant and also resists fire blight, a common pear disease. As with most pear trees, 'Seckel' requires at least one different cultivar to ensure adequate pollinating. 'Seckel' does best in full sun and slightly acidic, deep, heavy and moist well-drained soil. Pear trees cultivated for fruit are typically grafted onto rootstocks. That grafting influences the size of the tree, resistance to pests and diseases, time to fruiting maturity, and overall longevity. In the case of 'Seckel', grafting to dwarfing rootstocks produces a tree that can reach a height of 15 feet, with good disease resistance. This cultivar is partially self-fertile, but will produce larger yields with another individual nearby. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Pyrus communis .
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 nichePyrus communis 'Harvest Queen'Pyrus communis 'Magness'Pyrus communis 'Moonglow'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
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)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in. | Width: 8 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Rounded; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Orbicular; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy; Smooth
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Round, smooth leaves with serrated edges. More uniform than apple leaves and have more prominent veins.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Corymb
Flower shape
Cup; Saucer
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
White flowers with all parts in fives in clusters in April and May.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow
Fruit type
Pome
Fruit value
Edible; Fragrant
Fruit size
> 3 inches long, > 3 inches wide
Fruit detail
It produces small-sized, yellowish-brown fruit. The fine-grained flesh is smooth, sweet and juicy. The aromatic and spicy taste makes it a great choice for spiced pears. It is also good for pickling and canning. Ripens in September.
Bark color
Light Gray
Bark detail
Similar to an apple tree; 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
Unknown
Attracts
Butterflies; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Pome
Edibility
It produces small-sized, yellowish-brown fruit. The fine-grained flesh is smooth, sweet and juicy. The aromatic and spicy taste makes it a great choice for spiced pears. It is also good for pickling and canning. Ripens in September.
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Edible Garden
Design feature
Flowering Tree
Garden tags
#deciduous #edible garden #flowering tree #pomes #fruit tree #disease resistant #flowering #dwarf #edible