Pears · 2027 season
Kieffer Pear Tree
Pyrus communis
Better with a partnerMild, firm pear that turns sweeter when ripened off the tree, baked or canned. Tough and blight-resistant.
- #7 container
- About 1.25" caliper
Pick up in Pittsgrove, NJ, typically in March. Pay cash, check, Venmo or PayPal at pickup.
Kieffer is the tough, reliable pear of the Mid-Atlantic. It handles heat and humidity, is quite resistant to fire blight, and bears heavy crops.
The pears are large and firm, with a coarse texture. They're best cooked, canned, baked or made into preserves, and they store well. Let them ripen off the tree for the best flavor.
Kieffer was found as a seedling by Peter Kieffer in Roxborough, Philadelphia, and first fruited in 1863, so it's right at home in South Jersey.
Kieffer is thought to be a cross of Chinese sand pear and Bartlett. It's usually picked from late September to mid October, six weeks or more after Bartlett.
How it tastes
Mild and slightly gritty when fresh. Ripened off the tree, baked or canned, it turns sweeter and much more flavorful.
At a glance
- You get
- #7 container, about 1.25" caliper (trunk thickness 6 inches above the soil; each tree varies a little)
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4–9 (Salem County is 7)
- Blooms
- Early to mid season
- Ripens
- Late September to mid October
- Starts bearing
- Usually 3–5 years after planting
- Mature size
- Depends on rootstock; ask us
- Pollination
- Better with a partner
- Botanical name
- Pyrus communis
- Price
- $88 each, paid at pickup
- Pickup
- Pittsgrove, NJ, typically in March
The fruit
- Looks
- Medium-large, yellow-green, firm, slightly gritty
- Flavor
- Mild; much better ripened off the tree or cooked
- Best for
- Canning, Preserves, Baking, Cooking
- Keeps
- A long keeper in cold storage
Pollination
Sets some fruit alone, but crops better with another European pear nearby. Bartlett is the partner on our list.
Good partners from our list
Growing tips
Watch for: Quite resistant to fire blight, and tolerant of heat and humidity
- Full sun. Pears handle heavier, wetter soil better than most fruit trees.
- Fire blight is the main pear problem in our humid summers. Prune out blackened, scorched-looking shoots well below the damage, and don't overfeed with nitrogen.
- European pears are picked firm and ripened on the counter. Asian pears ripen on the tree and are picked ready to eat.
- Prune lightly in late winter.
New to planting fruit trees? Read our step-by-step planting guide: square hole, graft above the soil, native soil, and no fruit for the first two years.
Photos show the variety, not the exact plant you’ll get. Reservations are for the 2027 season, picked up at our farm in Pittsgrove, NJ, typically in March, and aren’t guaranteed until we confirm them. Questions? Ask us or call or text (856) 345‑4538.
