Pear (pyrus communis) HARROW DELIGHT

Pear (Pyrus communis) 'Harrow Delight'

Fire blight resistant Canadian summer variety with delicious buttery taste.

'Harrow Delight' is an excellent summer pear variety bred in Harrow, Canada. It is highly valued for its resistance to fire blight, scab, and rust. It offers attractive, medium-sized fruits with fine, melting flesh and sweet taste. It also stands out for its very early bearing onset.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Resistance to fire blight (Erwinia amylovora), rust, and scab.
• Very early bearing onset (often the year after planting).
• Juicy, buttery, and aromatic flesh.
• Rich and regular yield.
• High cold hardiness (down to USDA Zone 4).

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Canada (Harrow, Ontario)
• Parentage: 'Williams Christ' × 'Purdue 80-51'

Variety Characteristics

Tree

• Vigor: Moderate, branches well.
• Yield: Early onset, bears richly and evenly.

Fruit

• Size and Weight: Medium-sized (approx. 135 – 200 g).
• Shape: Pyriform to flask-shaped, very attractive.
• Skin: Greenish-yellow with a gentle brownish-red blush on the sunny side.
• Flesh: Creamy white, soft, melting (buttery), and very juicy.
• Taste: Good, sweet, with a pleasant fine aroma.
• Usage: Fresh consumption, processing.

Resistance and Requirements

• Diseases: Resistant to fire blight, rust, and scab.
• Frost: High frost resistance.

Cultivation Recommendations

• Pollination: Cross-pollinated. Blooms late. Suitable pollinators: 'Bosc' and other varieties.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Summer variety, August (to early September depending on location).
• Storage: Approx. 4 weeks (under suitable conditions).