Caramel Flavored Pears
Olympic Giant Asian Pears are massive! This new variety out of South Korea produces softball sized, perfectly round 1 pound pears. The tree looks like it’s covered in dozens of globe shaped ornaments every Fall.
You will rave about the flavor, somewhere between caramel and butterscotch. People are finding all kinds of new ways to cook with this surreal flavor. There are pear cobblers and pies like none other, delicious marinades, plus fresh slices over salads. Kids love Asian pear sauce and healthy baked pear chips. The favorite of all is enjoying the extremely crisp, juicy fruit right off the tree.
Olympic Giant Asian Pears are not just grown for their size and flavor… they are also twice as sweet as common pears. Despite the high sugar content, Olympic Giant’s can last 6 months in the fridge allowing you to enjoy your harvest longer.
Other nurseries cut costs by not grafting, or grafting to cheap rootstock. We went above and beyond for you finding a rootstock resistant to diseases like: crown rot, fire blight, pear leaf spot and oak root fungus while still maintaining good cold hardiness. This means you get a no-spray, no-fuss pear that is naturally hardier for organic gardening.
This is extremely critical for west coast growers where fire blight has claimed hundreds of orchards.
Why spend the effort to grow tiny pears when you can harvest record setting pears by the bucket?
Planting & Care
The Olympic giant asian pear tree (Pyrus serotina hybrid) is a compact tree, only reaching 16-18 feet tall and 12 feet wide. The semi-dwarf height makes it easy to pick the large, sweet pears right in your own backyard. It’s quite cold tolerant for a pear tree, they can withstand temperatures down to -20 degrees. Requiring less than 600 chill hours, they will still produce in warmer climates, making them suitable for growing in USDA zones 4-8. The Olympic asian pear tree is not self fertile so it will require a cross pollinator to set fruit (see the pollination chart below for pairing partners that work well with this tree). These trees are grafted to a hardy rootstock making them less susceptible to diseases and easier for growing as an organic fruit.
Location: Give your pear tree a location that features full sun and well-draining soil. Choose a bright, sheltered location, preferably with southern exposure.
Planting Instructions (in ground):
1) Dig a hole three times the size and just as deep as the root ball. You want to be careful that the tree does not settle too low in the soil.
2) After the hole is dug, carefully loosen and unwind any roots as necessary.
3) Plant the tree so that the roots are spread in the hole and the entire root ball is covered with soil.
4) Fill in the hole completely and gently remove air pockets that may have formed by tamping down with a spade.
5) Water the tree thoroughly after the tree has been planted.
Watering: Water your pear tree as necessary giving it at least 1 or 2 inches of water once a week. When the weather gets hot and dry during the peak of summer, increase the amount of water to maintain proper hydration and moisture. Do not water the pear tree after the first frost in the fall. You should resume watering once the last frost has past.
Pruning: When pruning, it’s important to trim the pear tree central leader to promote an upright position. If there are any competing branches present, remove them so that multiple leaders do not form. Maintain the tree’s natural shape by pruning large, lateral branches. Dead, dying or wilted branches should always be removed to help the Pear Tree focus its energy on growing healthy and producing an abundance of fruit.
*Tip* It’s always good to sterilize your cutting tool(s) with rubbing alcohol to ensure a clean cut that no pathogens can get into.
Pests: Pear trees are susceptible to insects such as maggots, moths, scale and aphids. To prevent infestation of these and other pests, treat with an insecticide in the early spring. Signs of infestation to be watchful for include yellowing or browning of foliage, rotted or eaten fruit and nibbled leaves. Spray the tree with the insecticide according to the directions on the label.
Tips:
*Pick pears when they have reached full color and size and are firm to the touch. Check the tree daily and pick fruit every two to three days until your harvest is complete.