Sand Pear – Pyrus pyrifolia


Sand Pear Tree

Sand pears

Also commonly called Chinese pear, nashi pear, and Asian pear, among more than a dozen other names.

Sand pear blossoms

Sand pear is native to China, Laos and Viet Nam, and is cultivated elsewhere in Asia, naturalized in Japan. It is present in at least four United States: Illinois, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.

Sand pear foliage

Over 1,000 cultivars of common pear, P. communis, are known, and it is itself believed to be a hybrid originating in western Asia over 2,000 years ago. Common pear is naturalized throughout Europe and has been grown for its fruit for centuries.

Sand pear summer
Sand Pear summer
Sand pear autumn with fruit
Same tree in autumn, with fruit

Pear has fine-grained wood pink to yellow in tone. It is prized for woodwind instruments and its veneer is used for fine furniture.

Sand Pear  Morton Arboretum accession 36-2000-2,  photos by Bruce Marlin

Family Rosaceae
Trees Index | Pine Family

Tree Encyclopedia / North American Insects & Spiders

Online since 2002