Pear

Pears belong to the genus *Pyrus* within the rose family, and the name also refers to the apple-like fruit these trees produce. Some pear species are grown for their fruit and juice, while others are cultivated as ornamental flowering trees. The genus likely originated in Central Asia, particularly the foothills of the Tian Shan range in what is now western China, and from there spread across Europe, North Africa, and the temperate parts of Asia.

The word "pear" comes from Old English *pere* or *peru*, which traces back through Vulgar Latin *pera* and Latin *pirum*, possibly related to the Greek *apion*. The ultimate source may be an ancient Mediterranean language, perhaps Semitic. The classical Latin term for the tree itself is *pirus*, with *pyrus* appearing as a medieval variant.

Pear trees are mostly small to medium in size, though some grow as shrubs, and a few species have thorns. Their leaves are arranged alternately, simple, and range from 2 to 12 cm long; they can be glossy green or densely silvery-hairy, with shapes from broad oval to narrow lanceolate. Most pears are deciduous, but one or two Southeast Asian species are evergreen. Some pears tolerate winter cold as low as −25 to −40 °C, but many agricultural varieties are vulnerable to frost, while evergreen species only withstand temperatures down to about −12 °C.

The flowers are white, rarely yellow or pink, 2–4 cm across, with five petals, five sepals, and many stamens. The fruit is a pome, like an apple, and in wild species it is usually 1–4 cm in diameter, but cultivated forms can reach up to 18 cm long and 9 cm wide. Shape varies from round or globe-like to the classic pear shape with a long base and bulbous end. Botanically, the fruit is a pseudofruit formed from the swollen receptacle; inside the flesh are 2–5 cartilaginous carpels known as the core. Pears and apples are not always easy to tell apart by fruit shape—some cultivated pears, like the nashi, closely resemble apples.

The genus is thought to have two domestication centers: one in China and another in Asia Minor near the Caucasus Mountains. The word for pear appears in all Celtic languages, and different names exist in Slavic and other dialects, leading botanist Alphonse Pyramus de Candolle to conclude the tree was cultivated very early from the Caspian Sea to the Atlantic. Pear cultivation goes back to prehistoric times, with traces found in pile dwellings around Lake Zurich. Pears were grown in China as early as 2000 BC, and an article on pear cultivation appears in Ibn al-'Awwam's 12th-century agricultural work. The European pear (*Pyrus communis* subsp. *communis*) likely descends from one or two wild subspecies widespread in Europe. Court records from Henry III of England mention pears shipped from La Rochelle-Normande and given to the king by London sheriffs; French names for varieties in English medieval gardens suggest French influence, with one favored variety named for Saint Rieul of Senlis. The Romans cultivated pears, eating them raw or cooked, and introduced them to Britain. Pliny's *Natural History* recommended stewing them with honey and listed three dozen varieties, while the Roman cookbook *De re coquinaria* includes a recipe for a spiced, stewed-pear soufflé. Asian species with medium to large edible fruit include *P. pyrifolia*, *P. ussuriensis*, *P. × bretschneideri*, and *P. × sinkiangensis*, while small-fruited species like *Pyrus calleryana* serve as rootstocks. *Pyrus nivalis*, with white down on its leaf undersides, is mainly used in Europe to make perry, a drink like cider. Another small-fruited species, *P. cordata*, is found wild in southwestern Europe and noted for early ripening and round fruit.

About 3,000 pear varieties are grown worldwide, varying in shape and taste. In 2024, global production was about 28 million tonnes, with China accounting for 76%. The fruit is eaten fresh, canned, juiced, dried, or fermented into perry. Pear wood is a preferred material for high-quality woodwind instruments and furniture. The genus *Pyrus* was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 and can be divided into two subgenera: *Pyrus* (the Occidental clade, found mainly in western Eurasia and North Africa) and *Pashia* (the Oriental clade, native to East Asia).