''Pyrus pyraster'' ( syn. ''Pyrus communis subsp. pyraster''), also called European wild pear, is a species of

pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in late summer into mid-autumn. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the Family (biology), family Rosaceae, bearing the Pome, po ...

of the family

Rosaceae Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera. The name is derived from the type genus '' Rosa''. The family includes herbs, shrubs, and trees. Most species are deciduous, but som ...

. This wild pear and ''Pyrus caucasica'' (syn. ''P. communis'' subsp. ''caucasica'') are thought to be the ancestors of the cultivated European pear (''

Pyrus communis ''Pyrus communis'', the common pear, is a species of pear native plant, native to central and eastern Europe, and western Asia. It is one of the most important fruits of temperate regions, being the species from which most orchard pear cultivars ...

'' subsp. ''communis''). Both the wild pears are interfertile with domesticated pears. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish ''Pyrus pyraster'' from a common pear. ''Pyrus pyraster'' can reach an age of 100 to 150 years.

Description

''Pyrus pyraster'' is a

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

plant reaching in height as medium-sized

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

and as a tree.Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia – Edagricole – 1982. Vol. I, pag. 603 Unlike the cultivated form, the branches have thorns. The leaves are ovate with serrated margins. The flowers have white petals. The

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s are equal to the length of styles. The flowering period extends from April through May. The fruits reach in diameter and ripen in late summer to early autumn. They are quite hard and astringent, but they have a sweet taste and are edible when they are very ripe and fall from the tree. The seeds ripen in September. Fruits look like a Pyrus ussuriensis var. acidula. Under good growing conditions, wild pear trees have a remarkably slender form with a characteristic rising crown. In less favourable conditions they show other characteristic growth forms, such as one-sided or extremely low crowns.

Distribution

The distribution of wild pear ranges from

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...

to the

Caucasus The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...

. It does not appear in Northern Europe.Schede di Botanica
/ref> The wild pear has become quite rare. It is sympatric with '' Pyrus elaeagrifolia''. It may hybridize with other pears, producing, for example, '' Pyrus austriaca'' in a cross with '' Pyrus nivalis''.

Habitat

Wild pear can grow on almost all soils, except the most acidic ones. However, owing to its weak competitive ability, the species exists mostly on extreme or marginal sites. Its tap roots enable it to grow on very dry soils. The tree requires a lot of light and is often found in the open landscape. It occurs in thickets and open woods with cool-temperate climates, in lowlands, hills and sometimes in the mountains, at above sea level.

Wild pears in Britain

The "wild pears" of England and Wales are actually thought to be domesticates that escaped cultivation. They appear to be archaeophytes, with charcoal and carbonised pips having been found at several

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

sites and are occasionally mentioned in medieval documents. It is likely that pears spread to Britain after their domestication with early farmers and subsequently escaped into the wild. Its establishment in the

British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

is probably due to human migration, with the trees belonging to one of the ''

'' subspecies instead of the true wild pear species of ''P. pyraster'', which is native to much of continental Europe but absent from Britain. Another species of pear found wild in

South West England South West England, or the South West of England, is one of the nine official regions of England, regions of England in the United Kingdom. Additionally, it is one of four regions that altogether make up Southern England. South West England con ...

, the Plymouth pear ('' Pyrus cordata''), is now thought to have originated from hedging plants imported from

Brittany Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

Gallery

File:Rosaceae - Pyrus pyraster-2.JPG, Shrub of ''Pyrus pyraster'' File:Wild Pear Tree in full blossom.JPG, ''Pyrus pyraster'' in full blossom File:Wild Pear Flowers detail.JPG, Close-up on flowers of ''Pyrus pyraster'' File:Rosaceae - Pyrus pyraster - Perastro.JPG, Fruits ''Pyrus pyraster'' File:Rosaceae - Pyrus pyraster.JPG, Fruits of ''Pyrus pyraster'' File:Rosaceae - Pyrus pyraster-1.JPG, Leaves of ''Pyrus pyraster'' File:Wildbirne Stammdetail, Pyrus pyraster.jpg, Bark of ''Pyrus pyraster''

Notes

References

Biolib
* ''Edward Milner – Trees of Britain and Ireland, page 113'' - regarding Pears in Britain.

External links

''Pyrus pyraster''
- info on Plants for a Future.
''Pyrus pyraster''
- distribution map, genetic conservation units and related resources. European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN) {{Authority control pyraster Flora of Ukraine