Corella Pear

Corella Pear (Pyrus communis 'Corella') is the small blushed pear that eats crisp rather than soft, and it is one of the more forgiving fruit trees for a suburban backyard. Pruned as a home orchard tree it holds at about 4m tall and 3m wide. White blossom covers the bare branches in spring, fruit follows through late summer, and the leaves colour before they fall in autumn.

Why you'll love it

• Fruit you actually finish. A small pear with a red blush over pale gold skin, sweet and crisp straight off the tree.
• Three seasons of interest. Spring blossom, a late summer crop and autumn colour from one tree.
• Frost hardy and wind tolerant. It handles cold winters and an exposed backyard, so southern and tableland gardens suit it.
• It fits a real garden. At 4m by 3m under normal pruning it suits a suburban block, and it takes to espalier along a fence.
• Bees love the blossom. Heavy white flowering brings bees and butterflies in ahead of the vegetable patch.

Where it works best

Small gardens. Allow a 3m circle for a free standing tree, or train it flat against a north facing fence where the reflected warmth helps ripening.

Feature planting. A single pear in a lawn earns its spot twice a year, under blossom and again when the foliage turns. Underplant with bulbs rather than shrubs.

Growing Corella Pear in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, the more the better for fruit sugar. This is a tree for cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens: it is frost hardy and needs a genuinely cold winter to set a good crop, so it is not a choice for tropical or subtropical districts.

Soil. Deep, well drained soil with compost worked through the bed. Pears resent drying out, so improve thin sandy ground before planting. Mulch 75mm deep, kept off the trunk.

Water and feed. Water deeply once or twice a week through spring and summer, especially while the fruit swells. Feed a complete fruit tree fertiliser in late winter, before bud burst, and again after harvest.

Pruning. Prune in winter while the tree is dormant. Keep an open centre so light reaches the fruiting wood, take out crossing and vertical growth, and shorten the leaders to hold the height.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in one size, a 45L tree, so this is an established plant with a formed framework rather than a whip. Being deciduous, it looks bare through winter and leafs up in spring, which is normal.

A 45L tree is heavy: advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, so have the hole dug before it lands. Expect a light crop within a year or two of planting and a full one after that. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every tree carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Read our guide to planting fruit trees for every season.
• Browse the full fruit tree range.
• Start with the basics in pruning for beginners.
• See other plants with autumn colour.

Common questions

Do I need a second pear tree?

Yes, for a reliable crop. Corella needs a pollinating partner that flowers at the same time, such as Williams or Beurre Bosc, planted within about 15m.

Can I keep it smaller than 4m?

Easily. Winter pruning holds it at 2.5m to 3m and makes the fruit reachable without a ladder. Espaliered against a fence it stays flatter again, at about 400mm deep.

Will it fruit in a warm climate?

Only where winters get genuinely cold. Without enough chill the buds break unevenly and the crop is poor, so warm temperate gardens get lighter yields.

When is it ready to pick?

Late summer into early autumn, once the skin colours and a fruit lifts free with a gentle tilt. Eat it crisp off the tree or hold it a few days indoors to soften.