The Pyrus communis or ‘Williams Bon Chretien’ is one of England’s most popular and historic types of pear. Its sensational flavour inspires a range of puddings and has enabled it to be referred to as the ‘dessert pear’. Juicy and nutritious, these pears are the perfect autumn snack. And this type of pear tree can be easily slotted within any sized garden!
When and where to plant:
Pyrus communis trees are significantly easy to plant and produce the most beautiful spring blossoms. The best time to plant a pear tree is between September-November, as this allows your tree to create flourishing flowers throughout the spring. This leads to scrumptious pears forming at the start of September through to November the following year. This also means that September is the ultimate time to pick your pears! However make sure to pick them when they are still hard so that they can freshly ripen within your home, ready to be cooked and prepared for all your autumn puddings.
Pears do well within a border or a container, making them easy to move around the garden, but to produce the most succulent pears, we like to plant pears, cordon-trained, against a wall and in a south-west facing position. This helps to keep them sheltered from the winter frost and offers the most suitably sunny, yet somewhat shaded position .
Tolerance and resistance:
The Pyrus Communis tree is extremely hardy and resistant to bad weather conditions, making it an extremely easy tree to maintain. These pear trees require lightweight soil that easily drains. Happy to be watered occasionally, when there are extremely dry conditions, though they do benefit from an annual application of mulch.
Wildlife:
This specific pear tree is incredibly beneficial in attracting wildlife to your garden and increasing biodiversity. It lures in a range of beneficial insects, butterflies, bees and much more! This is caused by its protruding pollen filled flowers that create a home for many insects and its ability to provide seeds for birds to feast on whilst drawing in many other pollinators to your garden.
The Pyrus communis pear tree is a non-toxic tree and is therefore safe to your domestic pets, your family members and to the wildlife outside.
Curious cuttings:
Pear trees have been known to survive for over 250 years! Many years ago this fact caused the Chinese to believe that the pear was a symbol of eternal life. It has been found that China is still responsible for over 70% of the world’s overall pear production. Pear trees are understood to have derived from Asia, then spreading over to Europe. This is suspected to have been catalysed by this tree’s ability to withstand a wide range of weather conditions.
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