Pears have been cultivated for millennia, probably since Roman Britain. Pear fruit stores longer than most hard fruit and was once an important winter vitamin source. Today there are over three thousand named varieties, from dessert to culinary and perry (pear cider) selections. An archaeophyte in Britain and a neophyte in Ireland.

Cultivated hybrid in origin, probably involving European Wild Pear (p. xxx). Mostly found in gardens and orchards.

Monoecious, with hermaphrodite flowers but usually not self-fertile, needing a neighbouring pollinator. Insect- and wind-pollinated, the flowers opening with the foliage. Fertilised flowers produce a seeded pome dispersed by birds and mammals.

Medium (15-20m), with stiff, steeply ascending sparse limbs that become pendulous with age. Bark dark brown, roughening into rectangular plates. Twigs glossy with pointed buds, often forming short stiff spurs and sometimes spiny. Leaves variable (5-10cm), glossy green, glabrous, with tiny round-toothed margins. Flowers white (2-4cm) in dense corymbs, blossoming profusely before apple in early spring. Fruit a gritty, pear-shaped, edible pome with retained sepals. Wild Pear differs: spiny twigs, smaller leaves, small, hard, globose fruit.

Varieties are always propagated by cuttings grafted onto size-controlling rootstocks. Old rootstocks gave very large, slow-fruiting trees; many cultivars now use Quince rootstocks ('Quince A' semi-vigorous, 'Quince C' dwarf), though these can lack winter hardiness, while 'Pyrodwarf' is a semi-dwarf hybrid pear rootstock. Ensure a nearby pollinator and full sun or partial shade. Trained forms (espalier, cordon, fan) fruit more; prune in summer and 'festoon' branches to encourage cropping. 'Conference' is by far the most widely planted, with many dessert, culinary and perry cultivars.

Pollinating insects, especially bees, take advantage of its early spring blossoms.

Pear rust (Gymnosporangium sabinae) is a serious disease, causing bright orange leaf blisters with lantern-shaped growths. Fireblight can reduce fruiting, or even lead to tree death.

Ornamental. Fruit production. Pear timber is highly valued but rarely available in large dimensions. Its heartwood is pinkish brown and can have exquisite figure. It is used to make small cabinets and boxes, and traditionally for musical instruments, especially recorders.