Pyrus pyrifolia

"Chinese pear" redirects here. For the Chinese White Pear, see Pyrus × bretschneideri.

Pyrus pyrifolia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Pyrus
Section: Pyrus sect. Pashia
Species:
P. pyrifolia
Binomial name
Pyrus pyrifolia
Synonyms[1]
List
  • Pyrus arakiana Koidz.
  • Pyrus asakeensis Koidz.
  • Pyrus autumnalis (Siebold) Koidz.
  • Pyrus babauttiagi Koidz.
  • Pyrus cuneata Koidz.
  • Pyrus higoensis Koidz.
  • Pyrus incubacea Koidz.
  • Pyrus kiushiana Koidz.
  • Pyrus kleinhofiana Koidz.
  • Pyrus lakuhokuensis Koidz.
  • Pyrus lasiogyna Koidz.
  • Pyrus lindleyi Rehder
  • Pyrus nehiyamadonis Koidz.
  • Pyrus pseudocalleryana Uyeki
  • Pyrus pseudouipongensis Uyeki
  • Pyrus pyrifolia var. talyschensis Gladkova
  • Pyrus saidaeana Koidz.
  • Pyrus serotina Rehder
  • Pyrus sinensis Lindl.
  • Pyrus sohayakiensis Koidz.
  • Pyrus tajimaensis Koidz.
  • Pyrus tambana Koidz.
  • Pyrus tobisimensis Koidz.
  • Pyrus togashiana Koidz.
  • Pyrus tsuchiyana Koidz.
  • Pyrus tungusiana Koidz.
  • Pyrus uipongensis Uyeki
  • Pyrus umemurana Koidz.
  • Pyrus uyematsuana Makino
  • Pyrus yohrohensis Koidz.

Pyrus pyrifolia is a species of pear tree native to southern China and northern Indochina that has been introduced to Korea, Japan and other parts of the world.[1] The tree's edible fruit is known by many names, including Asian pear,[2] Persian pear, Japanese pear,[2] Chinese pear,[2][3] Korean pear,[4][5][6] Taiwanese pear, apple pear,[7] zodiac pear, three-halves pear, papple, naspati and sand pear.[2] Along with cultivars of P. × bretschneideri and Pyrus ussuriensis, the fruit is also called the nashi pear.[8][9] Cultivars derived from Pyrus pyrifolia are grown throughout East Asia, and in other countries such Pakistan, Nepal, Australia, New Zealand, and America. Traditionally in East Asia the tree's flowers are a popular symbol of early spring, and it is a common sight in gardens and the countryside.

Asian pears
Nashi pear (Pyrus pyrifolia)
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy176 kJ (42 kcal)
10.65 g
Sugars7.05 g
Dietary fiber3.6 g
0.23 g
0.5 g
Vitamins and minerals
VitaminsQuantity
%DV†
Thiamine (B1)
1%
0.009 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
1%
0.01 mg
Niacin (B3)
1%
0.219 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
1%
0.07 mg
Vitamin B6
1%
0.022 mg
Folate (B9)
2%
8 μg
Choline
1%
5.1 mg
Vitamin C
4%
3.8 mg
Vitamin E
1%
0.12 mg
Vitamin K
4%
4.5 μg
MineralsQuantity
%DV†
Calcium
0%
4 mg
Magnesium
2%
8 mg
Manganese
3%
0.06 mg
Phosphorus
1%
11 mg
Potassium
4%
121 mg
Sodium
0%
0 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults,[10] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.[11]

The fruits are not generally baked in pies or made into jams because they have a high water content and a crisp, grainy texture, very different from the European varieties. They are commonly served raw and peeled.[12] The fruit tends to be quite large and fragrant. When carefully wrapped, having a tendency to bruise because of its juiciness, it can last for several weeks (or more) in a cold, dry place.

  1. ^ a b "Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm.f.) Nakai". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Bailey, L.H.; Bailey, E.Z. & the staff of the Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium (1976). Hortus third: A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada. New York: Macmillan. ISBN 9780025054707.
  3. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "​Pyrus pyrifolia​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  4. ^ Lee, Ho-Sun; Isse, Toyoshi; Kawamoto, Toshihiro; Woo, Hyun-Su; Kim, An Keun; Park, Jong Y.; Yang, Mihi (November 2012). "Effects and action mechanisms of Korean pear (Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo) on alcohol detoxification". Phytotherapy Research. 26 (11): 1753–1758. doi:10.1002/ptr.4630. PMID 22451246. S2CID 22181078.
  5. ^ Mishkin, Leah (9 October 2017). "Korean pear season in full swing at Hamilton Township farm". NJTV News. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  6. ^ Coyne, Kevin (21 August 2009). "Evergreen Farm Taps New Jersey Market for Ethnic Crops". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  7. ^ アジア1の生産を誇る延辺龍井リンゴ梨 接ぎ木から100周年を祝う. KoreaWorldTimes (in Japanese). 2021-05-17. Retrieved 2021-05-30.
  8. ^ "NSW Primary Industries 2002. Nashi Asian pear varieties. Agfact H4.1.14". Archived from the original on 2015-06-18. Retrieved 2011-08-25.
  9. ^ In Japanese the fruit is called nashi. The best variety is called shingo in Korean.
  10. ^ United States Food and Drug Administration (2024). "Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". FDA. Archived from the original on 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-28.
  11. ^ National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington, DC: National Academies Press (US). ISBN 978-0-309-48834-1. PMID 30844154. Archived from the original on 2024-05-09. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  12. ^ Solomon, Charmaine (1998), "Nashi", Encyclopedia of Asian Food, Periplus Editions, New Holland Publishers, archived from the original on May 21, 2009, retrieved 2008-07-11