Plant: Bradford Pear
 

Name: "Common Pear" Pyrus communis	Description: The well-known, naturalized fruit tree with broad crown of shiny green foliage, white flowers in early spring, and edible pears in autumn. HEIGHT: 40' (12m)  DIAMETER: 1' (0.3m) LEAVES: 1 1/2-3" (4-7.5 cm) long, 1-2" (2.5-5cm) wde. Broadly ovate to elliptical; finely wavy saw-toothed; becoming nearly hairless; often crowded on spur twigs; leafstalks slender. Shiny green above, paler beneath. BARK; gray-brown; smooth, becoming scaly. TWIGS: both long and short; hairless,; the many stout spurs sometimes ending in spines. FLOWERS: 1 1/4" (3 CM) wide; with 5 rounded white petals: in long-stalked clusters; in early spring with leaves. FRUIT: a pear 2 1/2-4" (6-10cm) long; green to brown skin; thick juicy sweet edible pulp; star-shaped gritty core: maturing in late summer. HABITAT: Moist soils near houses, fences, roadsides, clearings,and borders of forests. RANGE: Native of Europe and W. Asia. Naturalized locally from Maine to Florida, Texas, and Missouri, and in the Northwest.	Discussion: The Pear has been cultivated since ancient times. Numerous varieties have been developed from this species and from hybrids. French provincial cabinetmakers prized the light brown wood for dressers, armoires, and other furniture.
Image:	Location: N39°  36.730 W087°  41.442	Map:

© Copyright 2004, Paris High School, all rights reserved.
Photos courtesy: PHS

Click here to go back to the front page