Nashi Nijisseiki - Apple-Pear

The Pyrus pyrifolia 'Nijisseiki' is a variety of Nashi or Asian Pear with medium vigour, productive and self-fertile, which also proves to be a good pollinator for other Nashi. The tree, of fairly rapid growth, bears round fruits, whose yellow flesh is very juicy and sweet. These fruits are sometimes called "apple-pear" since they visually resemble apples while having the texture of pears. Nashi is a hardy bush, both fruit-bearing and ornamental, which requires winter cold to bear fruit. It is preferably planted in autumn or spring, for a harvest starting from late August.

Nashi is not the result of a cross between an apple tree and a pear tree, it is a separate species called Pyrus pyrifolia (synonym Pyrus serotina), closely related to the pear tree. This fruit tree of the Rosaceae family is native to China and Japan, where it grows in medium mountain areas. Cultivated for a long time in Asia, it has recently appeared in Europe. The term Nashi refers to both the bush and the fruit. Quite hardy (up to -19°C (-2.2°F)), this tree is also tolerant of any soil, provided it is deep and fertile enough to ensure good fruiting. Soils that are too dry are also unfavourable for a good harvest.

The 'Nijisseiki' variety quickly forms a small, ramified tree that will reach an average height of 3 m (10ft), with a crown measuring about 2.25 m (7ft) in width. It usually flowers in April, in the form of many small white-pink flowers with 5 petals. These flowers give way, after pollination, to round fruits with thick, amber-yellow skin, speckled with lenticels. The yellow flesh is juicy, sweet and fragrant, with a hint of champagne. Harvest begins in late August, depending on the climate. Pick the fruits when they are ripe as they do not ripen further after harvest. It is a self-fertile variety, whose production can be further improved if there is a William Pear nearby in the garden. Nashi leaves are deciduous, they fall in autumn. They are elongated, finely toothed, slightly larger than those of the Pear tree (10 cm (4in) long), slightly leathery, dark green and shiny in colour.

Once peeled, Nashis are consumed like apples and pears, preferably fresh or for sweet dishes (pies, compotes, crumbles, fruit salads) or sometimes as an accompaniment to meats or cheeses. They keep well in the refrigerator, about 2 to 3 months. Thanks to its beautiful spring flowering and autumn colours, the Asian Pear is also an ornamental tree. In the garden, it can be planted in the orchard, at the back of a flower bed, or in isolation.