The cultivation of the pear extends to the remotest antiquity. Traces of it have been found in the Swiss lake-dwellings; it is mentioned in the oldest Greek writings, and was cultivated by the Romans. The word "pear" or its equivalent occurs in all the Celtic languages, while in Slavonic and other dialects different appellations, but still referring to the same thing, are found—a diversity and multiplicity of nomenclature which led Alphonse de Candolle to infer a very ancient cultivation of the tree from the shores of the Caspian to those of the Atlantic. A certain race of pears, with white down on the under surface of their leaves, is supposed to have originated from P. nivalis, and their fruit is chiefly used in France in the manufacture of Perry (see Cider). Other small-fruited pears, distinguished by their precocity and apple-like fruit, may be referred to P. cordata, a species found wild in western France, and in Devonshire and Cornwall. Pears have been cultivated in China for approximately 3000 years. -- from Wikipedia
 | Sand Pear - Pyrus pyrifolia Rosaceae – Rose family. Also commonly called Chinese pear, nashi pear, and Asian pear, among more than a dozen other colloquial names. [1] [Cirrus Home] [Tree Encyclopedia] [Trees Alphabetic Table of Contents] [Family Rosaceae Table of Contents] |
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Sand pear is native to China, Laos and Viet Nam, and is cultivated elsewhere in Asia, naturalized in Japan. [1] It is listed present in 4 United States: Illinois, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. [2] In Japan, nashi pears are harvested in Chiba, Ibaraki, Tottori, Fukushima, Tochigi, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama and other prefectures, except Okinawa. Nashi may be used as an autumn kigo, or "season word", in writing haiku. Nashi no hana (pear flower) is also used as a kigo of spring. 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. Many named cultivars were raised at Versailles, France, during the 17th century. [3] Pear has fine-grained wood pink to yellow in tone. It is prized for woodwind instruments and its veneer is used for fine furniture. Pear has one of the finest of textures of the fruitwoods, and was often used in making instruments such as lutes, recorders and - because of its hardness - the jacks of harpsichords. |
Sand Pear Foliage
The three minor Noble Hardwood species are important from an ecological as well as from an economical point of view. They are growing in mixed hardwood forests, often at the margins of forest stands due to competition for light. In mixed hardwood stands with beech as a major component thinning usually favors the minor Noble Hardwood species in order to prevent heavy competition and to reach sufficient size for an economically interesting utilization.
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 Sand Pear Foliage and Young Fruit  Sand pear blossoms and newly sprouted foliage, April 27, near Chicago
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