Bartlett Pear

Pyrus communis 'Bartlett'

fruit

Bartlett is the classic summer pear, medium to large with thin skin that ripens from green to golden yellow, very sweet, juicy, and tender, and the most widely grown pear for fresh eating and canning. A heavy, reliable midseason bearer, it crops best with a second pear variety nearby for pollination.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Chives and other alliums — Scent helps deter aphids around the trunk
• Nasturtium — Trap crop for aphids
• Clover groundcover — Fixes nitrogen and supports pollinators
• Daffodils — Early blooms draw pollinators and deter rodents at the base

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Fire blight →

  Prune out blackened strikes well below the damage in dry weather and avoid excess nitrogen

• Codling moth →

  Hang pheromone traps, bag fruit, and remove drops

• Pear psylla →

  Encourage natural predators and apply dormant oil before bud break

🌾 Harvest & storage

Pears do not ripen well on the tree, so pick Bartletts mature but still firm and green-yellow, lifting and twisting so the stem separates easily. Give them a short chill, then ripen at room temperature; fruit left to ripen on the branch goes brown and mealy at the core.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

A medium pear has about 100 calories and 6 grams of fiber, more than an apple or banana, plus vitamin C, potassium, copper, and antioxidants, and its high fiber and soft flesh make it gentle on digestion.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

Eat the flesh, not the seeds. Apple and pear seeds contain amygdalin, a cyanide-releasing compound. Swallowing a seed or two is harmless, but do not deliberately eat or crush the seeds or cores in quantity.