Description

Medium-sized, very long lived, columnar, deciduous tree, occasionally thorny, with glossy green leaves which often colour well in autumn. In early spring it is covered by a snowfall of white blossom in clusters of up to 3cm, sometimes tinged pink which is loved by bees, then setting small, edible, sweet but grainy, golden-yellow fruits for autumn which are lovede by birds, especially thrushes and blackbirds. It suckers freely so is excellent planted in a hedgerow as a small tree. It has been cultivated in Great Britain since 995 AD, but unfortunately is not common today. For more ornamental varieties see Pear Chanticleer or Weeping Silver Pear, and for fruiting varieties see the /plants/fruit/pear-trees/>fruit section.