Growing pear (european)
pome fruit
WINTER CHILL NEEDED
~500–900 hrs
POLLINATION
Partly self-fertile — crops much better with a partner
Pollination
Best with a second European pear variety; 'Bartlett' and 'Bosc' cross well. A few ('Bartlett' in mild areas) set a light crop alone.
Growing it
Zones 4-8. Pick while still firm and ripen off the tree. Watch for fire blight in warm, wet springs.
Will you get enough chill?
Pear (European) needs roughly 500–900 hours between 32 and 45 °F over winter to break dormancy evenly. Check your area with the chill hours calculator. Low-chill breeding has pushed many varieties well below the figure here, so read the plant tag.
Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.