Pear Pyrus communis
Family: Rosaceae (Rose)
Branching: Alternate
The Domestic or Common Pear closely resembles some other
fruit trees of the rose family. In particular, apple can be very
similar, and at times practically identical. Their
characteristics overlap quite a bit, and in
addition there are various cultivars among each group that look
slightly different. Both (along with some other members of the
Rose family, like the Crabapples and Plums) have many "dwarf shoots",
though Pear is more likely to have some of these terminate as a thorn.
Apple is very rarely thorny, though the dwarf shoots are quite
stout and stiff. Pear also tends to have less hairy buds.
Finding fruit is usually the best identification!
Winter twig of the Common Pear
Another view of the winter twig
Winter twig of Pear
Winter twig of Pear
Lateral bud and leaf scar
A small dwarf shoot
Dwarf shoots on a branch... The colouration can be quite similar to Apple
The dwarf shoots of Pear occasionally end in a thorn-like point.
Thorny dwarf shoot on the main trunk
Thorny dwarf shoots on the main trunk
A Pear fruit found on the ground in late December (the twig is also a Pear)
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© 2008 Josh Sayers
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