Kieffer pear tree

Pyrus communis x Pryus pyriflolia 'Kieffer'

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• Self-fertility: Partially self-fertile
• Pollination group: 2

Kieffer is a late-season dual-purpose pear, easy to grow, self-fertile, productive, and needing little maintenance.

The pears can be eaten fresh, but are probably best used in the kitchen. Commercially it used to be widely-grown for processing and canning.

It is one of the best pears for wildlife planting, being easy to grow, and disease-resistant, and the pears stay on the tree into late fall.

 

Kieffer 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
  Semi-vigorous rootstock
  

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How to grow

Kieffer has a very wide climate range, and seems equally at home in cold northern climates or hot climates. It tolerates drought and flooding better than most pears.

It one of the few pear varieties that are reliably self-fertile.

It appears to have almost complete immunity to fireblight.

Advice on fruit tree pollination.

History

Kieffer is an unusual pear variety, thought to be a hybrid of the widely-grown Bartlett pear and a Chinese species. It was developed by Peter Kieffer of Philadelphia in the 1850s.

Kieffer characteristics

• Gardening skillAverage
• Self-fertilityPartially self-fertile
• Pollination group2
• Pollinating othersAverage
• Picking seasonLate
• UsesEating freshCulinaryDual purpose
• Keeping (of fruit)2-3 weeks
• General resistanceAverage
• FireblightVery resistant
• Summer maximum temperaturesWarm (25-30C / 76-85F)
• Country of originUnited States
• Period of origin1850 - 1899
• Flesh colourCream
• Fruit colorGreen - lightGreen / Yellow