Hi, I live in Steveston in Richmond and do have a tree that is apparently called an apple pear. It is shaped like an apple but the color is pearish, juicy and sweet as a pear, kind of tangy and tart when not ripe, otherwise it is such a juicy and sweet fruit. So refreshing to have in the summer heat. The tree was already in the backyard when we bought the house. I noticed that this tree is common in my street and perhaps in other areas of Richmond. I have a neighbor who has more than a couple of this fruit trees in her backyard and she has more than enough of the fruits that they would just leave out some in the front of their house for anyone to have. I haven't seen though this kind of fruit being sold in any of the farm produce shops here in Richmond.
Asian Pear. Pyrus pyrifolia. There are a few different types available locally, such as: Chojuro, Shinko, Kosui, Hosui, Nijisseiki (20th century). You might want to check with your local nurseries. They have been sold in large numbers in the recent years. Some people call them apple pears because they resemble the shape of an apple more than the shape of your standard european pear. Marketers have jumped on this to (falsely) give the public the impression that it is a cross between and apple and a pear. See this article for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashi_Pear
Asian pears are popular in Southern California during Winter. They are abundantly found in most Asian markets, sweeter and juicier than standard European pears.
We call them Nashi Pear down here. Beautiful to eat. I love them chilled. Very juicy. They do sell them commercially in supermarkets here. Liz
I bought a Chojuro pear yesterday, I live in burnaby. But I found out I have to buy another kind of pear to pollinate. This is first time I knew a tree need a spouse.
If a neighbor has either another type of Asian pear or a European pear, it might provide suitable cross-pollination. My Twentieth Century Asian Pear bore abundant crops for many years with only a neighbor's European pear tree nearby. [Edit:] I see that you bought your pear tree from Cedar Rim Nursery. If you check their on-line fruit tree catalog or get a printed copy, you will see the pollination requirements of each fruit tree.
