Williams Pear

Williams Pear (Pyrus communis 'Williams') is the classic eating and bottling pear, known overseas as Bartlett. Pruned as a home orchard tree it holds at about 4m tall and 3m wide, which is small enough for a suburban backyard or a large pot. White spring blossom, a heavy summer crop and gold autumn foliage make it a genuine ornamental as well as a producer.

Why you'll love it

• The pear most people picture. Sweet, aromatic, fine grained fruit that ripens off the tree, and the standard variety for bottling and poaching.
• It fits a small garden. Held at about 4m by 3m with annual winter pruning, so one tree suits a backyard corner, a courtyard or a half wine barrel.
• Three seasons of interest. White blossom in spring, fruit through summer, then gold and russet autumn colour before the leaves drop.
• Hardy and undemanding. Frost hardy, wind tolerant and still productive in poor soil, provided the drainage is reasonable.

Where it works best

Backyard orchards and small gardens. One tree fits a corner comfortably. Plant a second pear variety about 4m away for cross pollination and a noticeably heavier crop.

Pots and courtyards. A pot 600mm or wider with free draining mix will carry it at around 2.5m, though potted trees need consistent watering through flowering and fruit swell.

Feature planting. Blossom and autumn colour earn it a place in an ornamental bed, not just the productive corner of the garden.

Growing Williams Pear in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and a site with genuine winter chill. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens. In subtropical and tropical districts the winters are too mild for reliable flowering and fruit set.

Soil. Deep, free draining loam is ideal, though it will crop in poorer ground. Avoid waterlogged sites and work compost through the backfill at planting.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first two summers, and keep the water up during flowering and fruit swell, which is when a dry spell costs you the crop. Feed a complete fertiliser in late winter and again after harvest.

Pruning. Prune in winter while the tree is dormant. Build an open vase or central leader over the first three years, then thin crowded wood annually to keep light into the centre.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied in one size, a 45L pot. That is an established young tree with a formed trunk and framework, several seasons ahead of a bare rooted whip. Delivered through winter it will be leafless and dormant, which is normal for a deciduous tree and the best time to plant it.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect blossom in the first or second spring and a worthwhile crop from around the third year. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Planting fruit trees season by season
• Browse the full fruit tree range
• Compare deciduous trees
• Plants with strong autumn colour

Common questions

Do I need a second pear tree?

For a full crop, yes. Williams sets some fruit on its own but crops far more heavily with another pear variety flowering nearby, ideally within about 15m.

Will it fruit in a warm climate?

Only where winters are cold enough to break dormancy properly. Cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens work, while subtropical and tropical districts do not give it the chill it needs.

When should I pick the fruit?

Pick in late summer while the pears are still firm and green, then ripen them indoors over a week or two. Williams pears left to ripen on the tree go grainy at the core.