Produced by Pyrus trees, pears are a type of pomaceous fruit that are quite similar to apples. The quince is also another type of fruit that is related to the pear.
The pear typically grows on trees in cool climates, in Europe, Asia, North America and South America. Although a related fruit, the apple, is always been more common, the pear has grown into one of the more widely produced fruits in the world. The globe's largest producer of pears is China, which accounts for roughly two thirds of world pear production. Most of the Chinese pears are used for domestic consumption.http://www.goodfruit.com/issues.php?article=1213&issue=43 Other big pear-producing nations are Italy, Spain, and the United States.
Pears Background and History
Pears grow on a tree, and are harvested once a year. The more than 30 species of pears are typically grouped into two categories: summer pears and winter pears. http://trade.usapears.com/pears/harvesting.asp In the US, the former are picked in August, while the latter come off the tree in September. Picking pears is painstaking work, performed by humans taking care to handle the fruits gently, because they tend to bruise easily.
Although the precise origin of the pear is unknown, references to pears go back to ancient times. Lake people in Switzerland were known to use pears centuries before modern civilization sprang up in the region. A slightly different species of pear was used in China and other regions of Asia throughout ancient times as well.
The pear also figured into Europe's expansion into the western hemisphere. When the United States was colonized, settlers on the Mayflower took with them pears to cultivate in the New World. The personal correspondence of George Mason includes references to purchasing large quantities of bears. In the 20th century, scientists began crossing the Asian and European pear seeds, which eventually led to greater production and the commoditization of the fruit.
Pear Harvest
A veteran pair farmer talks you through a harvest in the above video. He discusses some of the different varieties of the fruit, how to handle them, and the proper techniques for storage. The storage tips are important because depending on the species, the refrigeration required varies.
Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Division: Magnoliophyta
- Class: Magnoliopsida
- Order: Rosales
- Family: Rosaceae
- Subfamily: Maloideae
- Genus: Pyrus L.
Nutrition Facts
References
Fast Facts
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Fact:
Closely related to apples
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Fact:
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Fact:
Over 30 species exist
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Date originated
Ancient Times
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Ethnic Orgin
Switzerland, Asia
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Usually Served As
A healthy snack
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Usually Served With
Solo, although you can dress it up with orange juice for kids
