A pair of Pears

In 2017 we went to a small local tree farm that was sadly closing down and we purchased 2 pear trees, I was very excited to get them home in the ground! At the time we purchased an Abate Fetel pear tree that was 3 years old and a 2 year old Conference pear tree, it was early in the year so basically it looked like we had bought 2 bags of twigs. At the time they were both about 2 feet tall and they are now enjoying the sunny spaces in our garden. Full disclosure we had no idea what either of these would do in our garden!

Roll on 2 years later and the Abate Fetel tree is now about 5 feet tall and has masses of blossoms on it. The Abate Fetel, is botanically classified as Pyrus communis, is a favorite in Italy and was originally bred by 15th century monks. Now it is seldom grown in the Western US and if it is then it is in California and Southern Oregon. It is on a Quince root stock which should also limit its size and may assist in growing it in the Pacific Northwest, this year should be the telling year of how this will work. Once they start to fruit I will post again that is with fingers crossed that they do fruit. Hopefully my pollination partner the Conference pear will get more flowers!!!!

The Conference pear is tall and slim and about 7 feet tall with approximately 3 blossoms but it is a year younger. Its Latin name is Pyrus communis and hopefully the pollination from the above Abate Fetel is working back to the Conference. You can already see by the below blossom how it has 3 or 4 pears all hanging together. This is on a dwarfing root stock as in OH XF333 which is a semi-dwarfing pear root stock.  It is 1/2 to 2/3 standard size.  Its resistance to fireblight, collar rot, woolly pear aphids and pear decline make this a very healthy stock. Although it does say not a huge fruiter - but seems safe from more than the Abate Fetel!

Conference Pear 4 years old