Japan Pear - Nijisseiki Asian Pear "20th Century" Asian Pear 二十世紀梨

Origin: Tottori 鳥取, Japan
Approx: 350gm per piece

Japan Nijisseiki Asian Pear aka "20th Century" Asian Pear

20th Century Asian pear trees have a long storage life and produce fairly large, sweet, crisp fruits that became one of the premier pears in the Japanese culture.

What is a 20th Century Pear?
According to 20th Century Asian pear info, this variety got its start as a happy accident. It is not known what the tree’s exact parentage was, but the seedling was discovered in 1888 by a young boy living in what was then, Yatsuhshira in Japan.

The resulting fruit turned out to be larger, firmer, and more succulent than the popular varieties of the time. The plant does have an Achilles heel but, with good care, it surpasses many of the Asian pear varieties. Also known as Nijisseiki Asian pear, 20th Century blooms in spring, filling the air with fragrant white flowers. These flowers have showy purple to red stamen that result in prolific fruits in late summer. The oval, pointed leaves turn an attractive red to orange when cold temperatures approach.

20th Century pear trees are hardy to United States Department of Agriculture zones 5 to 9. Although self-fruiting to an extent, planting two more compatible varieties nearby can help increase production. Expect mature trees to grow 25 feet (7.6 m.) and start producing 7 to 10 years after planting. It may take some time to enjoy the juicy pears, but this is a long lived tree with good care and can last at least another generation.