Pyrus communis 'Maxine'
Our inventory is up to date, you can pre-order now for the spring 2024 planting season.
Maxine is an attractive yellow / green pear, often covered with an attractive light russet.
The pears ripen towards the end of August - a bit later than Bartlett - and have a juicy flesh and excellent flavor.
Its productivity, disease-resistance, and good storage make Maxine a good choice for the home orchardist.
Maxine is easy to grow, and has good resistance to fire blight.
It has a tendency to over-set fruitlets and it is important to thin the fruitlets quite aggressively in late May, to ensure the remaining ones reach a good size and flavor at maturity.
Advice on fruit tree pollination.
Maxine has an interesting history. The original tree was found as a seedling pear tree in Preble County, OH. It was named and commercialized by E.M. Buechly around 1900.
In 1930 Marvin Cook of Tipp County, OH discovered a seedling pear tree which was subsequently released in 1953 by the famous Stark Brothers nursery as Starking Delicious.
The similarities between these two varieties are such that they are now considered to be identical.