Pyrus pyrifolia Ichiban - Pyrus pyrifolia Kosui - Asian Pear

Asian Pear 'Ichiban', in Latin Pyrus pyrifolia ‘Ichiban’ is a small tree with a graceful silhouette, which fits well in a garden with limited space or trained against a wall in the sun. It is hardy ( to -15°C) and it produces medium-sized fruits, rounded like an apple. Its skin is slightly rough, quite thin, golden bronze, taking on bronze-brownish hues when ripe and marked with white dots all over its surface. The white flesh is surprising and pleasant in the mouth, fine, crunchy, sweet, very juicy, and sometimes granular in its centre. The Asian Pear can be eaten raw or cooked. The harvest takes place from late June to late July. The fruits can be eaten as soon as they are picked, as they ripen, and can be stored for a few weeks in a cool place. This Japanese pear tree prefers a sunny exposure, in well-draining, moist, deep, rich, and non-chalky soil.

The Nashi, Pyrus pyrifolia or serotina, more commonly known as apple-pear, Japanese pear, Asian pear, or sand pear, is a fruit tree belonging to the Rosaceae family, like the Pear tree or the Apple tree. It is native to China and Japan, where it grows up to medium mountain altitudes. It has beed cultivated for a long time in Asia. "Nashi" is a Japanese word that can be translated as "pear" and refers to both the shrub and the fruit. Although the Nashi is not a cross between an apple tree and a pear tree, its fruits are sometimes called "apple-pear" because they resemble apples while having the texture of pears.

Nashi 'Ichiban' is a hybrid, a very productive variety, with rapid, abundant and regular fruiting. It forms a small tree with a fairly upright framework that can reach 3 to 4 metres high, producing many slightly arched branches, with a spreading habit. Its habit is well suited for standard forms (on a stem) or low forms (in a goblet shape) or trained forms (fan-trained). Its deciduous foliage is composed of large lanceolate, 7 to 10 cm long, alternate, dark green and shiny leaves which take on yellow-orange-red autumnal hues before falling. Flowering occurs in April, which usually protects it from frost. The single, white, 2 to 3 cm diameter flowers grouped in umbels, are nectar-rich. They can be destroyed by frost from -2 to -3°C. It is a fairly hardy tree that can withstand temperatures around -15°C, and it is suitable for cultivation in all regions, including low altitudes. This Japanese pear tree is self-sterile or self-incompatible, the flowers cannot fertilise themselves. That is why the presence of other varieties of pear trees nearby, whose flowering occurs at the same time, is necessary for cross-pollination. The varieties Nashi Hosui, Nashi Shinseiki, Nashi 'Kosui' or William's are good pollinators for Nashi 'Ichiban'.

The harvest, depending on the region and exposure, begins around late June-early July. The fruits can be eaten as soon as they are picked, as they ripen. The nashi is ripe when the skin is smooth and taut, and the fruit is soft around the stalk. Nashi can be eaten raw or cooked. When eaten raw, it is pleasant to bite into the skin, which sets it apart from other fruits. It is used for jams, compotes, pastries (pies, crumbles...), and desserts where it pairs well with chocolate or rhubarb or with panna cotta, not to mention fruit salads. It is important to pick the fruits only when they are ripe, as they do not ripen further after harvest.

The nashi is rich in water, refreshing and thirst-quenching. It is very fleshy, making it satisfying. It is low in calories and rich in potassium and magnesium, with a significant copper content. Its content of vitamins C and K, antioxidants, and fibre makes the Japanese pear a healthy choice. It is invigorating, energising, and rehydrating. The fruits can be stored for a few weeks to 2 months after harvest in a cool, clean place, protected from light at a temperature around 8 to 10°C or in a cold room, sealed off from outside air at a temperature of 1 to 3°C.

In the Nashi category, Nashi 'Ichiban' is a very early variety, of medium vigour, but very productive. To obtain good quality fruits, thin to reduce the number of fruits on the tree. Pruning for air circulation, by removing some branches in the centre of the tree, will provide light and give the fruits a beautiful colouration. This will also limit the occurrence of diseases. It is appreciated for its fruit qualities, decorative due to the elegance of its habit and surprising due to the autumnal colouration of its foliage, making it a real asset in the garden.