Common pear

Common pear (Pyrus communis) in botany is a representative of the genus Pear, the Rosaceae family. The plant first appeared in Europe and Asia. For favorable growth, the following conditions are necessary: ​​a sufficient amount of light, moist, drained and fertile soil. A pear in its height reaches no more than 30 meters. The tree can last up to 50 years. A pear is bred by planting cuttings, seedlings and seeds.

Characteristics of the common pear

The plant is a tall tree, up to 30 meters tall, or a large shrub. The bark of the tree is uneven, wrinkled, the trunk is even, reaching a diameter of 70 centimeters. Pear wood is distinguished by its density and strength. The branches are densely covered with leaves. The leaves, fixed on long petioles, have an oval, pointed shape. The leaves have a shiny appearance, the dark green color at the bottom becomes dull.

In spring, large flowers appear on the tree, white or pink. They can grow one at a time, or gather in inflorescences in several pieces. The legs on which they are located can be up to 5 centimeters long. The corolla is white or pink, the number of stamens does not exceed 50 pieces, the pistil consists of 5 columns. The flowers grow on the tree before the leaves appear.

The size, shape, taste of the fruit can be varied, it all depends on the type of plant. The pear has an oblong, slightly elongated, rounded shape. The seeds contained in the pear are covered with a brown rind. The tree begins to bloom in the spring, with a flowering period of about 2 weeks. Often, this period begins at the end of April and lasts until mid-May. Ripe fruits can be picked in late August and early September. Having reached the age of 3 to 8 years, the tree begins to bear fruit. The common pear grows and bears fruit for up to 50 years.

It is worth paying attention that in order for pears to start bearing fruit, you need to plant 2 varieties next to each other, which are inter-pollinated. "Fields", "Granddaughter", "Povislaya", "Tema" are the most famous varieties that are resistant to winter conditions. In addition, the fruits of these varieties can be eaten fresh, they have excellent taste properties.

Tree spread

The tree grows well in Europe and Asia. The common pear can be found in the wild in the southern territories of Russia, the Caucasus, Ukraine and Belarus. The tree is suitable for good growth soils rich in nutrients and trace elements, black soil. The tree can often be found in elevated areas where there is good air drainage.

Poor ventilation and stagnation of cold air in the lowlands adversely affects the quality of the pear. The tree loves well-moisturized soil, but stagnation and excess moisture negatively affects its growth and development. For the most part, pears are resistant to drought and frost. In winter with very low temperatures, branches and wood can freeze. With a sharp change in temperature or the appearance of frost in the spring, flower buds may be damaged.

Pear tree fruit

The fruits are popular for their vitamins and minerals, as well as their good and pleasant taste. Tannins, organic acids, pectin, fiber, vitamins A, B1, C, this is not a complete list of substances contained in pears. The taste of pear fruit is sweeter than that of apples, this is due to the minimum amount of acids and sugar contained in the fruit.

Pears are used to produce juice, desserts and wine. Dry fruits are used for the preparation of decoctions. Pear juice includes a huge number of vitamins and minerals. Fresh fruits are well absorbed and have a beneficial effect on the digestive system. Dry pear compote helps to relieve thirst.

Using a pear

Pear fruits are widely used in the food industry. The dried seeds are used as a coffee substitute. The fruit tree has become widespread in the branches of the economy. Pear wood is in demand among artists. It has high strength and good aesthetic qualities, excellent processing and polishing. Wood is used in the manufacture of furniture, musical instruments, goods for children, office supplies.

The high content of vitamin C, flavonoids, arbutin glycoside in the leaves increases the value of the tree. In medicine, pear leaves are used to prevent and treat skin conditions.

During the flowering period, a large amount of nectar can be collected from the flowers of the common pear. A hectare of the garden will bring up to 30 kilograms of honey, which is very important for beekeeping. In addition, the tree is used for landscaping household plots, courtyards, parks, squares, because of its decorative qualities.

Pear crown formation

The growth of the plant, the quantity and quality of the fruit depends on whether the shape of the branches is formed correctly. It must be pruned systematically. Immediately after planting the pear, it is worth taking care of the formation of the crown. There are two ways to shape the tree branches. The first method is pruning, the length of the shoots is reduced and the branches are thinned. With the help of a shortened shoot, new buds and shoots are formed. Shoots of 1 year of life are shortened by making an incision near the kidney. A decrease in the number of branches contributes to the flow of a large amount of light to the crown, because of this, the number of buds increases.

By bending the branches, pear growth is improved. To improve fruiting, large branches are tilted 40 degrees from the trunk. Small branches should be perpendicular to the trunk, with their ends slightly higher than the start of the main branches. For bending, use a wire so as not to spoil the bark, use electrical tape, winding it at the attachment points.

At the time of transplanting seedlings, the skeleton of the crown can be formed. If the seedlings do not have branches, the incision should be made above the bud, 70 centimeters from the ground. To form the first tier of branches, the remaining buds are used, which contribute to the development of lateral shoots.

If the size of pears has greatly decreased, and the shoots have begun to grow less than 15 centimeters per year, rejuvenating pruning is used for old trees. Obsolete branches are removed, and skeletal and semi-skeletal branches are pruned. Shoots of 1 year of life are cut, leaving two buds. This procedure leads to the formation of well-developed shoots. Some of these shoots will replace the main branches, the other will be used for fruiting. The branches that make the crown very dense are pruned. The tree needs good watering, nutrition, protection from pests, after taking measures related to anti-aging pruning.

Historical facts

The cultivars used in agriculture got their distribution from the wild plant. The ancient Greeks selected the sweetest and largest fruits of the pear, thus cultivation took place. The pear was brought to Russia from Byzantium. At first, the fruit tree was grown on the territory of the gardens of the monasteries.There were 16 types of trees in the Tsar's Garden of the Romanovs. By the decree of Peter 1, new varieties of pears were imported every year to increase the number of varieties of fruit trees. Nowadays, there are about 5,000 species of fruit trees. Each type of common pear has a special taste, color, shape and size.