Meet our nine (9) varieties of Asian Pears - Atago, Hosui, Kosui, Niitaka, Olympic (Korean Giant), Shinko, Shinseiki (New Century), Shinsui & Yoinashi. We have 14 of these fruit trees and we planted them in our "mini orchard" in our backyard.
We have done a series of videos on these fruit trees 4 years ago, but at the time Aiman was only 9 years old. Unfortunately the quality of those video somehow has degraded over time, so we're re-doing them. This video gives you an overview of the varieties that we have, but if you're interested in finding out more about a particular cultivar, make sure you check out the following individual videos, all of which are listed in the following playlist: • Asian Pear Fruit Trees...
These Asian Pear fruit trees are about 6-8 years old. We planted them bare roots. If you want to find out how to plant bare root trees please check out our tutorial video on that topic.
Asian pear cultivars are partially self-fruitful but better crops are set where two or more cultivars are planted together. Because there is no required spacing and they grow upright & shallow, you can plant many of these trees in a small space in your front or back yard. They're vigorous and heavy bearing. A few fruit trees will give you ample supply for your enjoyment throughout the summer and fall months.
Because of Asian pears' increasing popularity, more varieties than ever are available to home gardeners. And that's good news, because Asian pears sold commercially are often picked before they are ripe. Unlike European pears, Asian pears must be tree-ripened for peak flavor and sweetness. Once picked, the fruits will not ripen further. By growing your own, you can decide when the fruit has reached peak flavor.
We purchased these asian pears from a nursery in Pennsylvania and we ordered them online. There are many nurseries which you can ordered them online from. Some of them are Adams County Nursery, Dave Wilson, Grandpa's Orchard, Willis Orchards Company, One Green World, Penryn Orchard Specialties, Stark Bros Nurseries, Raintree, Nature Hills, Ty Ty, Peaceful Valley Farm Supply, Monrovia, Swanson, Fast Growing Trees and many more, even on Amazon.com, eBay, patio bloom, bonanza & etsy.
You can also find them potted during spring planting season at local nurseries such as Home Depot, Lowes and Walmart.
But if you're only interested in eating these amazingly tasty fruits of the trees you can visit local fruit orchards such as Lyman Orchard in our area. I'm sure you can find similar ones in your areas.
About Asian Pears:
Asian pears have been grown commercially in Asia for centuries. In Japan about 500,000 tonnes are grown and some fruit is exported to the United States in October and November. China and Korea also grow these pears for domestic consumption and export to the United States and Canada.
Asian pears are deliciously sweet and low in acidity, and each variety has a distinctive bouquet. In China, Japan, and Korea, thousands of different varieties are cultivated, and even in this country, a few dozen varieties are commercially available.
Asian pears comprise a large group of pears that are crisp in texture and, when mature, are good to eat as soon as harvested or for several months after picking if held in cold storage. This ready-to-eat feature may make them more acceptable to some people than European pears that are usually served when soft and juicy, which condition takes about a week to occur after removal from cold storage.
Asian pears do not change texture after picking or storage as do European pears such as 'Bartlett' or 'Comice'. Often Asian pears are called apple pears because they are crisp and juicy like apples but with a different and distinctive texture. They also are called salad pears, Nashi (Japanese for "pear"), Oriental, Chinese or Japanese pears (Nihonnashi). All Asian pears today are selected seedlings or crosses made within Pyrus serotina.
The fruits may be smooth and thin-skinned, in colors ranging from moonlight yellow, and yellow-green, to caramel, or they may be russeted shades of these.
Although fruit flavor is a major factor when selecting varieties, consider also disease resistance and hardiness, which are determined in large part by the rootstock. As a rule, Asian pears do well in the same places as European pears. They grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9, though some varieties, such as 'Seuri' and 'Ya Li', are hardy to zone 4. Typical chill requirements range from 300 to 600 hours (for trees to fruit and grow properly, they require a minimum number of hours with temperatures that fall below 45 degrees F (but remain above freezing). 'Hosui', 'Shinseiki', and 'Twentieth Century' are least chill sensitive and are best suited to warmer regions such as zone 9.
Recording Date: August 14, 2017
Original Video URL: • Our 9 Varieties Asian ...