Sand Pear Tree
Also commonly called Chinese pear, nashi pear, and Asian pear, among more than a dozen other names.
Sand pear is native to China, Laos and Viet Nam, and is cultivated elsewhere in Asia, naturalized in Japan. It is present in at least four United States: Illinois, Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia.
Over 1,000 cultivars of common pear, P. communis, are known, and it is itself believed to be a hybrid originating in western Asia over 2,000 years ago. Common pear is naturalized throughout Europe and has been grown for its fruit for centuries.
 Sand Pear summer |
 Same tree in autumn, with fruit |
Pear has fine-grained wood pink to yellow in tone. It is prized for woodwind instruments and its veneer is used for fine furniture.
Sand Pear Morton Arboretum accession 36-2000-2, photos by Bruce Marlin
Family Rosaceae
Trees Index | Pine Family
Tree Encyclopedia / North American Insects & Spiders
Online since 2002
