Pyrus bretschneideri aka Chinese White Pear

Pyrus bretschneideri is the Chinese white pear, also called ya pear. It belongs to the rose family, Rosaceae. Kew treats it as a cultigen from northern and eastern China. This means its recorded origin is linked to cultivation. It grows widely in northern China as a fruit tree. Records also place it on slopes in cold, dry regions. These sites lie at 328–6,562 feet [100–2,000 metres] above sea level.

This deciduous tree grows to about 20 feet [6 metres]. It sheds its leaves each year. Its flowers open in May and contain both male and female organs. Insects carry pollen between the flowers. Seeds ripen from September to October. The fruit has white to pale yellow skin and juicy flesh. Its shape resembles a European pear rather than a round Asian pear. Plants For A Future gives a fruit diameter of about 1.2 inches [3 centimetres]. People eat the fruit fresh or cook it. The species includes many cultivated forms valued for their fruit.

Choose full sun for the best fruit crop. The tree accepts light shade, but fruiting suffers there. It prefers fertile loam that drains well. It also grows in sandy soil and heavy clay. Mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soils all suit it. Moist soil suits its needs, though established trees withstand drought. It can also cope with excess moisture and polluted air. These tolerances allow some choice in planting sites. They do not replace its preference for good drainage and sun.

Plants For A Future lists USDA hardiness zones 4–8. It also reports survival at temperatures of at least 5°F [−15°C]. The tree can provide fruit in a food forest. A sunny woodland edge is another listed setting. Plants For A Future reports no known hazards for this species. It lists no known medicinal uses or other non-food uses. That hazard entry does not establish that every plant part is edible.

Fresh seed can go into a cold frame in autumn. It may then sprout in mid- to late winter. Stored seed needs eight to ten weeks of cold treatment. Keep it near 34°F [1°C] during that period. Young seedlings need separate pots once large enough to handle. Grow them under cover with light shade for their first year. Plant them out the next late spring or early summer.