Red Anjou Pear

Pyrus communis 'Red Anjou'

Red Anjou Pear is a favorite European winter eating pear with large, conical, short-necked fruit that is light green with slightly brown russeting. It has mild, fine textured white flesh with a delicate aroma. Trees are large, vigorous, hardy, very productive and early bearers that ripen in late September. Fruit will store for very long periods, and actually improve in quality after a couple months of proper storage.

Originated in France prior to 1800, like so many of the regular pears we eat and grow. Pears in general are long-lived, hardy trees kept for their pretty bloom in the spring, as well as for their fruit. In Grandpa's day, the farmers used to line the roads with pear trees, and one can still find some ancient trees around.

Anjou pear is a good pollinizer for almost any other pear, so planting it with another pear is suggested to improve production of both. Like most pears it is rather upright growing, spurry and vigorous. Fire blight is a concern with all pears, so don't over-fertilize or prune excessively. Most pears are very hardy and somewhat frost resistant, so don't require the best of sites.