Harrow Sweet pear tree

Pyrus communis 'Harrow Sweet'

• Check pollinators >

• Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
• Pollination group: 3

Harrow Sweet is a late-season pear characterized by small-to-medium sized fruits which usually have a pretty orange flush where the sun catches them. It is related to Bartlett, and the flavor is very similar - although it ripens later.

It is a good alternative to Bartlett in areas where fireblight is prevalent, since it is very resistant.

Harrow Sweet pear trees for sale

You can pre-order now for spring 2025

• Semi-standard 1-year bare-root tree $39.45
  Mature height: 10ft-16ft after 10 years
  OHxF 87 rootstock
  

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How to grow

Harrow Sweet has a tendency to over-crop, which leads to small fruits with poor flavor and can also induce biennial bearing. This can easily be prevented by heavy-thinning of the fruitlets in late spring - aim to remove 4 in every 5 fruitlets if there has been a heavy set from the blossom.

Harrow Sweet is also precocious - it will start cropping from an early age, and this should generally be discouraged by removing all fruitlets for the first few years, to ensure the tree grows to its full size.

Harrow Sweet is not self-fertile so will need to be pollinated by another compatible pear variety. Despite the close relation to Bartlett it can be successfully pollinated by Bartlett, as well as most other varieties that flower in the middle of the blossom season.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Harrow Sweet (also known as AC Harrow Sweet ) was developed in the 1960s at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research station in Harrow, Ontario. The same breeding program also led to a sister variety Harrow Delight, and Harrow Sweet shares the same Bartlett-dominated parentage.

Harrow Sweet characteristics

• Gardening skillAverage
• Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
• Pollination group3
• Pollinating othersAverage
• Picking seasonMid
• UsesEating freshCulinary
• Keeping (of fruit)1-2 months
• General resistanceGood
• FireblightVery resistant
• Cold hardiness (USDA)Zone 5 (-29C)
• Summer maximum temperaturesWarm (25-30C / 76-85F)
• Country of originCanada
• Period of origin1950 - 1999
• Flesh colourCream
• Fruit colorGreen / YellowOrange flush

Similar varieties

• Harrow Delight
  Harrow Delight is an early-season Bartlett-style pear with a sweet flavor and good disease-resistance.