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Gem Pear on OHxF 87 (Spring 2025)

You are viewing a tree that will ship in Spring 2025. You can also find trees for Spring 2024.

A recently developed variety with good fireblight resistance and great storage ability.

Gem grows on a tree that is productive and precocious. The variety has demonstrated fireblight resistance that is very improved over that of Bartlett, but it is moderately susceptible to powdery mildew, scab, and psylla. Thinning improves fruit size signficantly, and the fruit can be harvested over a long period. This pear is a recent product of breeding by Dr. Richard Bell, and while it has not yet been fully researched and evaluated, early trials have shown that it has promise for both commercial production and the home grower.

The fruit is mid-sized to large, slightly globular, and the skin is yellow with a red blush. It has a smooth, waxy surface and it does not develop superficial scald (a dark brown skin discoloration) in storage. This is great news because it turns out that Gem pears have a unusually long storage window. While the fruit is quite palatable when freshly harvested and still crisp, three to six weeks of storage are recommended for full ripeness and softening, and the pear actually appears to store well for up to five months. Additionally, the flesh of Gem does not yellow after slicing. The flavor is sweet and sub-acid, spicier than Bartlett but otherwise similar. Gem does eventually develop melting, dessert pear qualities.

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$36.75

34 in stock
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Gem grows on a tree that is productive and precocious. The variety has demonstrated fireblight resistance that is very improved over that of Bartlett, but it is moderately susceptible to powdery mildew, scab, and psylla. Thinning improves fruit size signficantly, and the fruit can be harvested over a long period. This pear is a recent product of breeding by Dr. Richard Bell, and while it has not yet been fully researched and evaluated, early trials have shown that it has promise for both commercial production and the home grower.

The fruit is mid-sized to large, slightly globular, and the skin is yellow with a red blush. It has a smooth, waxy surface and it does not develop superficial scald (a dark brown skin discoloration) in storage. This is great news because it turns out that Gem pears have a unusually long storage window. While the fruit is quite palatable when freshly harvested and still crisp, three to six weeks of storage are recommended for full ripeness and softening, and the pear actually appears to store well for up to five months. Additionally, the flesh of Gem does not yellow after slicing. The flavor is sweet and sub-acid, spicier than Bartlett but otherwise similar. Gem does eventually develop melting, dessert pear qualities.


The Fruit

Fruit Type

Category: Pear
Subcategory: European, Cold-Hardy

Fruit Uses & Storage

Uses: fresh eating, storage
Storage duration: three plus months (approximate, depending on storage conditions)

Fruit Appearance

Skin color: yellow
Flesh color: off-white

Fruit Origins

Parentage: Sheldon x US62563-004
Origin: Beltsville, MA
Introduced in: 2014
Introduced by: Dr. Richard Bell

The Environment

Calendar & Geography

USDA zones: 4 - 8
Chill hours: Not yet determined
Ripening date: Aug 30 (approximate, in New York State) + 10 days after Bartlett

Tree Height & Spacing

Rootstock: OHxF 87 Rootstock
Rootstock size class: Half-Standard (75% of Standard)
Tree spacing: See details
Good for wildlife planting? N

Diseases & Pests

Powdery Mildew: Susceptible
Pear Scab: Susceptible
Pear Psylla: Susceptible

Pollination

Pollination Factors

Bloom group: 3
Is it self-fertile? N
Is it fertile? Y
Ploidy: Diploid
Rootstock size class: Half-Standard (75% of Standard)

Pollination Partners

This table shows the first few results from a full search for pollenizers of Gem Pear on OHxF 87. Please see our Pollenizer Search to run other queries and read how the application uses various factors. Also read more about fruit tree pollination.

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Blake's Pride Pear on OHxF 87 2024 0
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Harvest Queen Pear on Quince Provence 2024 0
Highland Pear on Quince Provence 2024 0
Chapin Pear on OHxF 97 2024 0

See all pollination matches for Gem Pear on OHxF 87






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