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Dana Hovey European Pear

bare-root trees
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$39.00
Item: 7344-A
stock details: 2½–5' bare-root trees
Pyrus communis
Winter, russeted golden-yellow skin.

Thought to be a seedling of Seckel. Roxbury, Mass., about 1854. Introduced by 19th-century fruit enthusiast Francis Dana who dubbed it “Dana’s Hovey” in honor of CM Hovey, Boston nurseryman and author of The Fruits of America. Sometimes called Winter Seckel because of its similarity to Seckel.

Small squat rich golden-yellow russeted fruit. Intensely sweet highly aromatic tender storage pear has excellent flavor; possibly the best eating of all winter pears. Keeps extremely well. Harvest in October and store in a cool dry spot. Still great eating in December—sometimes even as late as February.

Hardy vigorous moderately productive spreading tree adapts to a variety of soils. No scab and relatively few bugs. Plant a second variety for best pollination. Zone 4.

Maine Grown.
ships in spring
Quick Details
Harvest Season
winter
Maine Grown
Yes
Skin Color
russeted golden-yellow
Hardy to Zone
4
Compare
Compare with other European Pears
Variety Product Type Harvest Season Maine Grown Skin Color Hardy to Zone
Bartlett bare-root trees late summer Yes greenish yellow 4
Bosc bare-root trees fall russeted dark yellow 4
Cabot Vermont bare-root trees fall Yes greenish yellow 4
Comtesse Clara Frijs bare-root trees summer yellow-green 4
Dana Hovey bare-root trees winter Yes russeted golden-yellow 4
Harrow Crisp bare-root trees late summer
Harrow Delight bare-root trees early summer Yes yellow-green 4
June’s Pear bare-root trees early fall Yes
Kaspar’s Winter bare-root trees late fall-winter Yes mottled blushed green 4
Nova bare-root trees late summer Yes
Orcas bare-root trees summer
Patten bare-root trees late summer Yes red-blushed greenish yellow 3
Seckel bare-root trees late summer Yes red-blushed yellow 4
Summercrisp bare-root trees midsummer Yes red-blushed green 3
Sunrise bare-root trees summer
Additional Information

Pears Pyrus spp.

European Pears Pyrus communis

Native to temperate Europe and Asia, pears can grow up to 100' tall in the wild. Many pear varieties are hardy in New England but tend to take longer to come into bearing than apples and might not bear every year. Farther south, pears tend to bear annually. Pick fruit when green and ripen it on the shelf. Or, for optimal eating, try this method, from Ed Fackler of Rocky Mountain Orchard: “…when fruits exhibit slight color changes, begin to test pressure (using your thumb) near the stem. When there is a slight ‘give,’ pick all the fruit, store at or near 35° for 7 or more days. Then remove them as needed, allow them to sit at room temps for 2–4 days which allows them to ripen to peak flavor.” Susceptible to fireblight and apple borers. Pears are on OHxF97 and will reach 25' or taller at maturity. (2½–6' trees)

Perry Pears Perry is fermented pear juice—the pear equivalent of hard cider. While you can ferment any pear juice, the best perry is made from small dry astringent varieties selected over the centuries just for that purpose. Most of these perry pears are not suitable for fresh eating or cooking. These trees are a good investment—they should live to be about 300 years old.

Asian Pears Pyrus pyrifolia

There are thousands of named Asian pear cultivars in China, where they have been grown for more than 2000 years. They bear young and are long-lived. Asian pears differ from European pears: they are crisper and very juicy, sweet and mild with a nutty background, and are roundish in shape. Because they set heavily, thin the crop once or even twice during the first two months after bloom to ensure large fruit. Leave about one fruit per spur. Unlike European pears, they should be tree-ripened. When the seeds are black, the pears are ready. They ripen in late summer and keep for several weeks with refrigeration.

Asian pears reach 15–20' at maturity.

Growing Pears

  • Soil: Prefers well-drained fertile soil.
  • Sun: Full.
  • Pollination:
    • European Pears We recommend planting a second variety for pollination, though some European pears may be self-pollinating. Bloom times are similar for all varieties we offer.
    • Asian Pears We recommend planting a second variety for pollination, though some Asian pears may be self-pollinating. Some European pears, notably Bartlett, will also act as pollinators.
  • Planting and Pruning: See our planning and planting and pests and diseases pages for more information about soil prep, planting, pruning, and pest control.
  • Spacing: 15–20' apart.

Shipping

Items from our perennial plants warehouse ship from early March through mid-to-late May, weather depending, beginning with warmer USDA zones.