About
A dessert and cooking pear that has a sweet fine-textured flavour when cooked - quite sugary and melting. Any non-triploid pear in flowering group 3, 4 or 5 will pollinate it, but because 'Pitmaston Duchess' produces no viable pollen a third, different, pear must be grown to pollinate the pollinator. Pollination group 4 and is a triploid. Crops over a short season in late September to October. It has large attractive fruits that are excellent for exhibition and attractive blossom on a vigorous tree.
About the genus
Pyrus are deciduous trees or shrubs with oval leaves and scented white flowers in spring, followed by green or brown fruits, edible in some species
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeFruit Edible
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height4-8 metres
Spread4-8 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, City and courtyard gardens, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationPlant in a well-drained, but fertlie soil in full sun. The ideal pH is 6.5, but will tolerate other soils, if they are deep (45-60cm (18-24in) and enriched with well-rotted organic matter. Suitable for all training forms including espaliers, fan-training, pyramids and cordon. Needs two other pear cultivars for pollination. Keep a weed free area of 60cm radius around the trunk. Thin fruit if necessary. See Pears or pear cultivation for further advice
PruningRegular pruning required, according to form: cordons, espaliers and pruning established fans. Can also be grown as standards or spindlebushes. For further guidance see: pruning new pear trees, summer pear pruning, winter pear pruning, renovating pear trees
PropagationPropagate by grafting or chip budding onto a rootstock for fruit. Quince rootstocks are usually used for pears
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, codling moth, pear blister mite, pear midge and pear and cherry slugworm
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight, pear scab, European pear rust and honey fungus (rarely)