Louisiana Pear Tree Varieties
Louisiana's climate is relatively semitropical, with heavy rainfall and humidity. Many varieties of pear do well in the region, but a potential problem is fire blight, a bacterial infection that affects pear trees and is easily spread in damp, humid conditions. Varieties of pear that are highly resistant to fire blight do best in Louisiana.
Moonglow
Moonglow is a variety of pear that has a high resistance to fire blight. Growing to a height of 10 to 15 feet with a spread of 8 to 12 feet, it produces a medium-sized fruit with a soft red blush and a smooth, juicy white flesh. Moonglow makes an excellent dessert fruit. It ripens in August to early September.
Kieffer
Kieffer is an older variety of pear that is popular due to its wide range of uses, including desserts, preserves, canning and baking. Growing to a height of 10 to 15 feet with an 8 to 12 feet spread, it is very resistant to fire blight. Kieffer ripens in late September to October and bears a long medium to large fruit with a red blush and a crisp, coarse white flesh.
- Moonglow is a variety of pear that has a high resistance to fire blight.
Orient
Highly resistant to fire blight, Orient produces a dessert-quality medium to large fruit that is russeted with a coarse-textured, cream-colored flesh. It is good eaten fresh or used for canning. Orient grows to a height of 12 to 20 feet with an equal spread. The fruit ripens in late August to September.
Ayers
Ayers, sometimes referred to as the "Sugar Pear," grows to a height of 15 to 20 feet. It produces a medium-sized russeted fruit that has a very sweet flesh, and is good as a dessert fruit and for drying to use in fruitcake. Ayers ripens in August, and is highly resistant to fire blight.
- Highly resistant to fire blight, Orient produces a dessert-quality medium to large fruit that is russeted with a coarse-textured, cream-colored flesh.
- It produces a medium-sized russeted fruit that has a very sweet flesh, and is good as a dessert fruit and for drying to use in fruitcake.
