Beurre Bosc Pear

Beurre Bosc (Pyrus communis 'Beurre Bosc') is the classic russeted dessert pear: long necked, cinnamon brown skin, dense cream flesh firm enough to poach and sweet enough to eat off the tree. The tree reaches about 4m tall and 3m wide, and winter pruning holds it to 3m or trains it flat against a wall. White blossom in early spring feeds bees, and the leaves colour before dropping in autumn.

Why you'll love it

• The pick of the old eating pears. Fine grained buttery flesh and a distinctive russet skin, with a depth of flavour a supermarket pear does not carry.
• Small enough for a suburban block. Roughly 4m by 3m unpruned, and readily held at 3m or espaliered flat for a courtyard or a narrow side path.
• Two seasons beyond the crop. White flowers cover the bare tree in early spring, and the foliage colours before it drops.
• It handles heavier ground. Pears tolerate wetter, denser soil than most stone fruit, so a spot that would defeat a peach can still carry a pear.

Where it works best

Feature and edible planting. A single pear in a lawn or a mixed bed is a genuinely handsome tree, and it will crop without an orchard around it.

Small gardens and espalier. Trained flat on a fence or wires it occupies about 300mm of depth and still yields well, which is the trick for a narrow block.

Pots. A half barrel or a pot 500mm or wider holds a pruned tree for years, though a potted fruit tree needs watering every day or two through summer.

Growing Beurre Bosc Pear in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, in cool temperate, warm temperate or Mediterranean gardens. Pears need winter chill to set a crop, so this is a tree for southern districts, the tablelands and cool inland areas.

Pollination. Beurre Bosc is not reliably self fertile. Plant a compatible partner such as Williams or Packham within about 15m and the crop improves markedly.

Soil. Deep fertile soil is ideal, though pears forgive clay and periodic wet feet better than most fruit trees. Work compost through the backfill and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak once or twice a week through the first two summers, and keep the water up while the fruit is swelling. Feed a complete fertiliser in late winter and again after harvest.

Pruning. Prune in winter while the tree is bare, to an open vase or a formal espalier. Pears crop on short spurs that stay productive for years, so keep the stubby wood and remove the strong upright water shoots.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as an advanced 45L tree, so what arrives already has a trunk and a formed framework rather than a single whip. Expect a first useful crop within two to three years.

Being deciduous, a tree despatched between late autumn and late winter arrives bare of leaves. That is normal. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, plants are delivered Australia wide with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every tree is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full fruit tree range
• Planting tips for fruit trees
• How espaliered trees save space
• Browse the edible plant collection

Common questions

Do I need a second pear tree?

In practice, yes. Beurre Bosc sets a far heavier crop with a compatible pollinator such as Williams or Packham nearby, ideally within about 15m and flowering at the same time.

Will it fruit in a warm climate?

Not reliably. It needs winter chill, so it performs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens and disappoints in the subtropics and tropics.

Are the seeds a problem for pets?

Pear seeds contain cyanogenic compounds, so they are not something a dog should chew through. Collect dropped fruit rather than leaving it under the tree.