Pear Trees

Pears, like apples, are fruits, but the part we eat is not technically the fruit.  The "edible" part is a swollen section of flesh around the true fruit.  The pear fruit is actually a part in the center, usually discarded as the "core." 

Pears grow on hardwood trees that need sufficient amounts of seasonable cold weather to produce buds for flowering, and therefore fruit as well.  This makes it difficult to grow pears in tropical regions.  Pear trees do not grow very fast, so I have never seen a large one, and I don't know the maximum height, but I do know that they take kindly to being pruned. 

Pear tree wood makes a delicious smell when burned.  This, along with the fact that they burn for a long time, makes pear trees desirable for firewood.  Pear trees are great.  I wish we had one!



Written by Peter in November.