Pyrus pashia aka Himalayan Pear

Pyrus pashia, also known as the wild Himalayan pear, is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree with a small and oval-shaped crown. Its leaves are ovate with fine teeth, and they turn red-brown in autumn. The tree bears attractive white flowers with red anthers, which are followed by small pear-like fruits. Native to southern Asia, Pyrus pashia is known by various names such as batangi, tangi, mahal mol, and passi. It thrives in well-drained sandy loamy soil and can tolerate a precipitation range of 750 to 1500mm/yr or more, as well as temperatures ranging from -10 to 35°C. The fruit of Pyrus pashia contains approximately 6.8% sugars, 3.7% protein, 1% ash, and 0.4% pectin. It has a low Vitamin C content of about 1.2 mg per 100g. Some mineral elements found in the fruit include phosphorus (0.026%), potassium (0.475%), calcium (0.061%), magnesium (0.027%), and iron (0.006%). The fruit is pome-shaped and resembles a russet apple. When ripe, it has a sweet but astringent taste. The early fruit is light green, but it turns blackish-brown with yellow and white dots as it matures. The fruit is best consumed when slightly decaying and has a grittier texture compared to cultivated pears. A fully ripe and bletted fruit is sweet and enjoyable to eat. It takes from May to December for the fruit to mature, and a mature tree can yield approximately 45 kg of fruit per year.