Pyrus communis 'Moonglow'

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Pyrus communis 'Moonglow'

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Kemper Code: N380

Common Name: dwarf pear
Zone: 5 to 8
Plant Type: Fruit
Family: Rosaceae
Missouri Native: No
Native Range: None
Height: 8 to 10 feet
Spread: 8 to 10 feet
Bloom Time: April - May
Bloom Color: White
Sun: Full sun
Water: Medium
Maintenance: High

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Plant Culture and Characteristics

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Where is this species invasive in the US?

Uses:		Wildlife:	Flowers:	Leaves:	Fruit:
Hedge	Suitable as annual	Attracts birds	Has showy flowers	Leaves colorful	Has showy fruit
Shade tree	Culinary herb	Attracts	Has fragrant flowers	Leaves fragrant	Fruit edible
Street tree	Vegetable	hummingbirds	Flowers not showy	Good fall color	Other:
Flowering tree	Water garden plant	Attracts	Good cut flower	Evergreen	Winter interest
Gr. cover (<1')	Will naturalize	butterflies	Good dried flower		Thorns or spines

General Culture:

Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers sandy or clay loams, but is adaptable to a wide range of soils and soil conditions. Site in a location where periodic chemical spraying will not pose problems to adjacent areas. Needs another variety for cross-pollination.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

Pears, like apples, are pome fruits. Pears are grafted onto rootstocks which, inter alia, control the size of the tree. This cultivar is available as grafted to a standard rootstock (15-20' tall) or as grafted to dwarfing rootstocks which produce smaller trees (8-12' tall). The 'Moonglow' tree growing at the Kemper Center is grafted to a dwarf rootstock which limits growth to 8-10' tall. Dwarf trees bear standard-size fruit but have the advantages of fitting into smaller spaces and of being more manageable (e.g., easier to spray, prune and harvest). Creamy white flowers in dense corymbs appear in profusion in early spring. Flowers give way to Bartlett-type, yellow pears with a red blush which ripen in mid-August (USDA Zone 5).

Problems:

Pears are generally difficult to grow in Missouri. Only cultivars with good fireblight resistance should be attempted. 'Moonglow' is resistant to fireblight. Scab can also be a problem. Potential insect problems include codling moths, borers, aphids, scale, leaf rollers and mites. Cold temperature injury to flower buds and flowers from early spring frosts is not uncommon.

Uses:

Grown primarily for the fruit crop, but early spring bloom has good ornamental value. This dwarf pear is ideal for landscapes with space limitations.

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