Pears

Pear trees are attractive throughout the growing season and provide abundant, creamy fruits. Trees are long-lived and can be fairly easy to grow in Minnesota. 

Much like the apple breeding program, pear breeding at the University began in the early 20th century with the aim of developing varieties that would survive and produce well, despite Minnesota’s cold winters.

In more recent years, a goal of the fruit breeding team was to develop hardy, crisp-fleshed pears, similar to “Asian pears”, that were becoming familiar to regional consumers. Trees of the first release from this effort, Juicy Jewel™, will be available to purchase from licensed nurseries. Home gardeners should be able to purchase trees from retail garden centers in 2022 or 2023. Fruit will start becoming available from local orchards in 2025.

University of Minnesota Pear Varieties

Two Juicy Jewel pears hanging from a tree branch

Juicy Jewel®

  • Asian-type pear ripens mid-August
  • Fruit is attractive with an occasional orange-pink blush
  • Should be picked ripe, while crisp and with a yellow-green background color
  • Hardy in Zone 4
  • May be used as a pollinator for Summercrisp
  • Released in 2023

Purchase a license to grow Juicy Jewel® commercially


Two Summercrisp pears hanging from a tree branch

Summercrisp

  • Sweet flavored, crisp fruit ripens mid-August
  • Fruit is harvested while crisp and with a green background, often with a red blush
  • Hardy in Zone 4 - hardiest U of M pear
  • May be used as a pollinator for Juicy Jewel™
  • Released in 1986

Two Parker pears hanging from a tree branch

Parker

  • Medium to large, yellow-bronze fruit ripens in September
  • Popular for its fine-grained, tender, juicy flesh
  • Fruit must be picked before it ripens
  • Upright, vigorous growing tree which may be susceptible to fire blight
  • Released in 1934

Bantam

  • Heirloom variety with limited availability
  • Released in 1940

Golden Spice

  • Small fruit, very hardy
  • Heirloom variety with limited availability
  • Released in 1949

Juicy Jewel® is a registered trademark of the University of Minnesota.

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Purchase a license to grow Juicy Jewel® pears commercially

Juicy Jewel® pear is currently available for nurseries to license through the University of Minnesota Office of Technology Commercialization.

Juicy Jewel® pear is protected by United States Plant Patents or Plant Variety Rights in other countries. Propagation of these protected plants without a license is prohibited, even if you want to propagate one plant. 

Purchase University of Minnesota pear trees

Parker and Summercrisp pairs are available at retail garden centers. 

Juicy Jewel® Pear is protected by United States Plant Patents or Plant Variety Rights in other countries. Propagation of these protected plants without a license is prohibited, even if you want to propagate one plant. The following nurseries are licensed to sell Juicy Jewel® Pear trees: