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European pear
Habit (mature) · Philmarin / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Limited coverage
European pear
Pyrus communis
The common pear of the produce aisle — a deciduous Rosaceae fruit tree from southern Europe and southwestern Asia that is the parent of most named pears, including Bartlett, Anjou, and Comice. Aromatic, five-petaled creamy-white spring flowers give way to the familiar pear-shaped edible fruit, ripening from mid summer to fall on glossy dark-green foliage that turns red and yellow before leaf drop. Grown almost entirely for its fruit rather than as an ornamental, and notoriously susceptible to fireblight.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: moderate (45/100)
Focal point
Structure
Edible
Light
Full sun
Water
Moderate water
Mature size
300-360" tall · 180" apart
Hardy in zones
4a-8b
very cold to frosty winters
Summer heat range
Cool-Warm
cool to warm summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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A documented larval host for the Polyphemus moth — caterpillars feed on its foliage before becoming the next generation.
Wildlife relationships
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). European pear (Pyrus communis). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/european-pear
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Backs 1 field
Image
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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