| Dimensions | Regular carton size |
|---|---|
| Rootstock | Quince A maiden (moderate), Quince A two year (moderate) |
| Pollination Group | C |
| Type of Pear | Culinary |
| Fruiting | Late Season |
We supply rootstocks once they have been harvested and sorted, between February and March. We will email you an Order Confirmation when we take payment, before being getting in touch to arrange delivery or collection.
Black Worcester
Oval pears turn to dark mahogany. A culinary variety that does not soften enough to eat as a dessert but stores really well. A pear with a long history!
Pick: late October
Storage until: March and later
£22.75
A pear with a history! Black Worcester (or Worcester Black Pear) may date back to Roman times. Definitely dated back to 1575, when Queen Elizabeth 1 visiting Worcester saw a tree laden with Worcester Black pears. She is said to have told the city to include three pears on its coat of arms. Being such a prominent tree then it would have been around some time before 1575.
It is a culinary variety that does not soften enough to eat as a dessert and requires cooking for 1-2 hours. Large green pears covered that do turn dark mahogany coloured, but not quite black. Their shape is classified as ‘bergamot’ but they seem to be more oval in their appearance.They are best picked late October / early November and used later in the winter December / January onwards.
Like Catillac it is also classified as a ‘Warden’ pear. Warden pears are a group of large culinary pears that do not ripen up to the point they can be eaten fresh. In the past these pears would have been very valuable for their storage qualities well into the following year. Warden pears are said to have arisen at Warden Abbey, but there is no evidence that this is the case with Catillac and certainly not with Worcester Black, which is more likely to have arisen in the Worcestershire area from a seedling pear selected because of size and cooking & keeping qualities. But this is long ago and we will probably never be certain of its exact lineage.
Pick: late October, Storage until: March and later
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Beth
A very enjoyable early dessert pear. Pale green small to medium sized fruits which turn pale yellow. Creamy white flesh, sweet and juicy.
Picking time: late August
Storage until: September
Doyenne du Comice
A fine pear of excellent flavour – the flesh at best is juicy, sweet & melting. Medium to large fruits nearly as wide as tall. Yellow, some with a pink flush.
Pollination group – D
Pick – early October
Storage until – November
Beurre Superfin
The round conical pears of Beurre Superfin turn from green to yellow as they ripen with light brown russet. The flesh at its best is creamy yellow, melting and of excellent flavour.
Picking time: late September
Storage until: October
