Types of Pears

Pears come in hundreds of varieties, many of which resulted from crossbreeding carried out during the 17th and 18th centuries in order to improve the fruit’s characteristics. Some of the most popular varieties of pear are described here.

The Anjou pear originated in France. It is medium-sized with a very short neck and light green or yellowish green skin. The flesh is very juicy and has a fine, buttery texture.

The Bartlett pear is an English variety that was introduced into the United States by Enoch Bartlett. It’s known in Europe as the Williams pear. Its skin changes from light green to golden yellow during ripening, and its smooth, white flesh is very aromatic. The Red Bartlett pear has the same fine flavor. Both types of Bartletts make good cooking pears.

The Bosc pear, originally from Belgium, has a thicker and rougher skin than that of other varieties—the skin is brown, verging on yellow. The Bosc is oblong, with a long, thin neck and a juicy, white flesh that is granular and strongly perfumed. It stands up well to cooking and poaching.

Considered to be one of the finest pears in the world, the Comice pear was developed in France. Large and round with a short neck, it has tender greenish yellow skin with pink or brown tinges when ripe. Its fragrant, yellowish-white flesh is exceptionally juicy and sweet. The Comice is often ser­ved with good-quality cheeses.

The Conference pear owes its name to the fact that it won first prize at the International Pear Con­ference held in London in 1885. Its creamy, white flesh is juicy, sweet, and refreshing. This variety closely resembles the Bosc.

The Packham pear is a cross between a Bartlett and an Yvedale Saint-Germain pear, created by the Australian Charles Henry Packham in 1896. The Packham is similar in color and flavor to the Bartlett, but less symmetrical in shape. Large, with a small neck and green skin that turns slightly yellowish as the fruit matures, the Packham has white flesh that’s juicy and sweet.

The Passe-Crassane pear first appeared in Normandy, France, where it was created in 1855 by an orchard cultivator named Louis Boisbunel, who crossed a pear with a quince. It is an excellent winter pear, as it has very good keeping qualities. The Passe-Crassane is large and round with a thick skin. Its white flesh, which is slightly granular, is very sweet and tasty and melts in the mouth.

The Rocha pear, a native of Portugal, is medium-sized and round with a short brownish neck. Its yellow skin is dotted with green. Initially firm and crisp, its flesh becomes soft and buttery when ripe.