Standard Pear Trees

Stately and multi-purpose, standard pear trees feature all the beauty of ornamental flowering pears with the bonus of summer shade and edible fruit. A productive standard pear tree bears 5-10 bushels of fruit on average, which may depend on the pear tree’s variety, age, and environment. Once mature, the average standard-size pear tree will be about 18-20 feet tall and, because of its naturally columnar growth habit (upright rather than outward-spreading), it will only be about 12-13 feet wide. Most pear trees require a pollinator, so leave room for two or more varieties, and take advantage of this in your landscape design — plant several standard pear trees in a row for a natural screen or windbreak or group trees within 50 feet of one another for seasonal interest and adequate pollination. Pruning and harvest may require use of a sturdy ladder, but you’ll enjoy homegrown pears from standard pear trees for decades.