Shenandoah Pear

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Pyrus communis L.

Shenandoah is a new, large and luscious European type pear, more blight resistance than Bartlett. Flavor similar to Bartlett but fruits are larger and can store for up to five months.

Due to import restrictions we are unable to ship European or Asian Pears to CA, Europe.

Shenandoah Pear

Shenandoah pear (Pyrus communis L.) is a new cultivar that combines spicy aromatic fruit flavor, long storage life, large fruit size, consistent yields, and moderate resistance to fire blight caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. All major cultivars of commercial importance as well as many of those available to home orchardists are susceptible to this devastating disease. Long storage life, absence of core breakdown, and resistance to superficial scald are also economically important physiological traits. Shenandoah was released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and The Ohio State University in 2003 as a fresh market pear for commercial and home orchards.

Shenandoah is a seedling of Max Red Bartlett and US56112-146, the cross made in 1977 by T. van der Zwet and R.C. Blake. The parentage is entirely of P. communis origin, and the original source of resistance is presumed to be the old American cultivar, Seckel, thought to be a parent of Barseck. The original seedling, designated US78304-057, was selected in 1985 by R.L. Bell at the Appalachian Fruit Research Station (AFRS).

Skin color at harvest is light green with 10% to 25% red blush. The skin turns yellow–green when ripe. The finish is glossy. Flesh texture is moderately fine, juicy, and buttery. Flesh color is creamy white. Small grit cells occur primarily around the core and under the skin, similar to Bartlett but with overall grit content and size less than Bartlett. Harvest maturity has been estimated to occur about 3 weeks after Bartlett. In air storage at –1 °C, fruit will store for as long as 111 days without superficial scald or internal breakdown. When harvested firm but optimally mature, the fruit will ripen without post harvest chilling. The flavor is sweet and aromatic.

Full-bloom is midseason, similar to Bartlett. Cropping has been moderately precocious with first fruit set 3 years after planting. Yield in the fourth year of growth after planting have been moderately high and greater than Bartlett. 136.7 kg for Shenandoah versus 59.8 kg for Bartlett.

Due to import restrictions we are unable to ship Shenandoah Pear to CA...