ASIAN PEAR TREES

(in approximate order of ripening)

SHINSUI        One of the earliest ripening varieties.  Fruit is medium sized (7-11 oz) with a green-brown to orange-brown russet skin.  Flesh is off-white, tender-crisp, very juicy and sweet.  Fruit quality is very good to excellent.  Tree is very vigorous, upright, erect with a poor lateral branching.  Stores about 6 weeks.  Ripens mid August.  

KOSUI           A medium sized (9-14 oz), early maturing, light green to yellow-bronze fruit with a slight russet.  Flesh is tender crisp, juicy, sweet with no acid.  Tree is vigorous, upright, a strong grower, and moderately productive.  Fruit quality is good to very good.  Stores about 2 months.  Ripens late August.  

HOSUI           Excellent golden brown russet variety.  Excellent taste and eating qualities.  Flesh is off-white, tender crisp, very juicy, very sweet.  Size is medium to large (12-14 oz).  Tree is medium to large, productive, weeping, and spreading.  Stores about 3 months.  Reported to develop water core if stored too long when picked very ripe.  Ripens late August, early September.  

SHINSEIKI    Popular early season variety.  Fruit is yellow-green to pale yellow, smooth with small lenticels, size is large.  Flesh is white, sweet, firm, crisp and juicy.  Tree is moderately vigorous, dense, very productive and precocious.  Fruit quality is good to very good.  Excellent storage life, about 7-8 months.  Fruit ripens in late August, early  September.  Also known as New Century.  

CHOJURO     Medium to large, flattened, brown russet greenish fruit with thick skin.  White flesh is crisp like an apple when ripe; mild, slightly aromatic flavor.  Keeps in cool storage until February.  Medium size, spreading, vigorous, early bearing tree; reliable annual bearing tree with somewhat drooping habit.  Somewhat prone to overbearing; needs some thinning.  It ripens in mid September.  

NIJISSEIKI     Best known Asian pear.  Fruit is green to greenish yellow, smooth with some lenticels.  Fruit size is medium (9-14 oz.).  Flesh is white, firm, crisp, very juicy and sweet with a refreshing tartness.  Fruit quality is good to very good.   Tree is of moderate vigor, upright and productive.  Stores about 5 months.  Ripens in mid September.  Also known as 20th Century.  

SHINSEIHO  Rather large fruit with light yellow to green fruits that tend to be sweet with a small bit of tartness.  The flavor improves after developing in storage for a couple of weeks.  Ripens in mid to late September.  

KIKUSUI       Large yellow-green skinned fruit.  Flesh is white, sweet with a light tartness, firm, crisp and juicy.  Tree is of medium size and vigorous, slightly spreading and very productive.  Fruit must be heavily thinned to obtain size.  Fruit quality is very good, skin can be tender.  Stores well, about 6-7 months.  Sometimes mistaken for NIJISSEIKI.  Ripens mid to late September.  

SHINKO        Fruit is medium to large (14-20 oz.) with a brown to golden brown russet.  Flesh is yellowish white with a good juicy, sweet flavor.  Fruit quality is very good to excellent.  Tree is of medium size, average vigor and a heavy bearer.  Stores 3 to 4 months.  Ripens mid October.  

NIITAKA       Large to very large (14-26 oz.), orange-brown russet pear.  Flesh is somewhat coarse, juicy, sweet (more tart in Puget Sound region), slightly off-white.  Tree is fairly large, but somewhat weak.  Fruit quality is fair to good.  Stores 5 to 6 months.  Ripens mid to late October.  

YA LI              Chinese variety.  Fruit is pyriform with a green to light green skin color, very smooth and glossy.  Flesh is white and very juicy with a crisp texture and a mildly sweet fragrant flavor and aroma.  Fruit quality is good.  Fruit size is medium to large.  Tree is vigorous, upright and spreading.  Stores about 4 to 5 months.  Has shown some storage problems.  Ripens late October.  

SEURI            Round shaped Chinese pear.  Skin is unusual, a yellow under color with a mottled partial russet.  Flesh is bright white, good crisp texture, aromatic, floral, sweet flavor.  Tree is very vigorous and strong, heavy bearer.  Fruit quality good and size is large to very large.  Short storage life, only about 4 weeks.  Ripens in late October.  

KOREAN GIANT  Very large (16-32 oz.), attractive orange-brown russet, round pear.  Flesh is firm, crisp and juicy sweet.  Tree is very vigorous, large, upright.  Long storage life, about 8 to 9 months.  It is a Korean pear.  One of the best tasting, late ripening varieties.  Ripens late October, early November.

The following varieties are available for trial.  Please ask if you would like more information on any of them: ICHIBAN NASHI, MEGIETSU, OLYMPIC, SHIN LI, TOKYO GOLD, TSU LI, and YONGI.