The service pear (bot. Amelanchier) is a small genus of wild fruit trees, of which around 20 to 25 different species exist worldwide. The only native variety in Europe is the service pear (bot. Amelanchier ovalis). The vigorous and robust shrubs delight in spring with a luxuriant splendor of numerous star-shaped, white flowers, in summer with just as numerous, blue-black and edible berries, and in autumn with the strong autumn coloring of the leaves.

The beautiful fruits of the pear are edible and healthy

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. appearance and growth
  4. fruit
  5. toxicity
  6. Which location is suitable?
  7. floor
  8. Plant service pear properly
  9. watering and fertilizing
  10. Cut the pear properly
  11. multiply service pear
  12. hibernate
  13. diseases and pests
  14. species and varieties

    15. origin and distribution

    The undemanding wild fruit has almost fallen into oblivion, but has enjoyed increasing popularity with many garden owners for several years and is increasingly being planted. Most of the approximately 25 species come from North America, in Europe only the service pear, which grows to around two meters high, is native. This species grows wild above all on calcareous and rather dry locations and can even be found at altitudes of up to 2000 meters. On the other hand, the copper service pear (bot. Amelanchier lamarckii) can be found much more frequently in the gardens. It grows to about six meters tall and also forms an umbrella-like crown. This species originally comes from the east of the North American continent, but has long since been released into the wild here as well. In northern Germany, the copper rock pear is also known as the "currant tree".

    use

    Rock pear trees are mainly to be planted as solitaires in the garden, although some species are also very suitable for hedge planting. Thanks to the umbrella-like, but still loose growth, most varieties can also be planted well, for which bulb flowers are particularly well suited. On the other hand, you should refrain from planting with deeper-rooted plant species, because as a flat-rooted plant it is difficult for the service pear to tolerate root pressure and the competition for water and nutrients. The columnar varieties in particular fit very well in small gardens and front gardens, although some varieties that remain smaller can also be used very well for a container culture.

    appearance and growth

    In the garden, the North American species are more popular than the native European serviceberry because of their higher ornamental value. All varieties have elliptical, alternately arranged leaves that are up to seven centimeters long. Some species show a copper to bronze color during budding. In autumn, the deciduous leaves turn bright copper to orange-red, depending on the location and soil conditions. The growth of the medium-sized to larger shrubs is always loosely upright at first, with most species developing a spreading crown and becoming wider overall with age. The strikingly thin shoots are olive-grey in colour. In spring - between April and May, depending on the species and variety - the numerous white star-shaped flowers appear, arranged in racemose inflorescences. From them, blue-black, edible berries develop until July - which are actually apple fruits. These are reminiscent of blueberries, both visually and in terms of taste.

    fruit

    Between June and July, depending on the species and variety, the trees and shrubs, which can be up to six meters high, are full of small, up to one centimeter large berries that turn blue-black when ripe. These are very popular with birds, but also taste very good for many people - especially in the form of jams and jellies or in alcoholic form as a liqueur. The berries taste a little reminiscent of marzipan and contain many healthy ingredients, especially vitamin C, iron and other minerals as well as flavonoids, which are so healthy for the heart and blood vessels, and anti-inflammatory tannins. In northern Germany, the pear is also known as the "currant tree" because people used to dry and use the fruit like raisins.

    To harvest

    Incidentally, the fruits that look like berries - like the aronia berry - are actually apple fruits, as the generic name "Amelanchier" already indicates. This comes from the Celtic language and means something like “little apples”. However, the fruits should only be processed when they are ripe. You can nibble them straight from the tree, but you can also pick them for preserving, pickling or drying. However, you have to be quick, because the juicy berries are also popular with our feathered friends and they plunder the bush covered with ripe berries in no time at all.

    Process

    In most cases, the slightly bitter-tasting and quickly perishable fruit of the pear will not be eaten raw, but processed immediately after harvesting. They do not last long and should therefore not be stored temporarily. You can use the service pears:

    • process into jams and jellies
    • squeeze juice out of them
    • in alcohol and with plenty of sugar to create a liqueur
    • Make compote from it (with other types of fruit)
    • drying (in a dehydrator or oven)
    • Freeze (well suited to not having to process harvested fruit immediately if you don’t have time)

    Dried rock pears taste similar to raisins and can also be used in the same way, also for muesli, cakes or desserts or just for snacking.
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    toxicity

    Today, the pear has almost been forgotten as a fruit bush, and many people also consider the blue-black fruits to be poisonous - which, as already described, they are of course not. Only the seeds embedded in the pulp contain small amounts of cyanogenic glycosides, which can react in the body to form hydrocyanic acid. However, this only happens if you chew the seeds instead of just swallowing them. Furthermore, the amount of hydrocyanic acid contained is so small that symptoms of poisoning are not to be expected - apple seeds contain about the same amount and are eaten by many people, whether intentionally or unintentionally. If you still want to be on the safe side, you can simply cook delicious jam from the pears, because cooking destroys the toxic components.

    Which location is suitable?

    The natural location of the pear is a sunny to semi-shady place on the edge of light deciduous forests, which is why the shrubs have a medium to high light requirement in the garden. The trees thrive best in full sun to semi-shade, but they also do well in light shade. All species are both urban climate and wind resistant and therefore do not necessarily need a sheltered place in the garden.

    floor

    In terms of soil, service pear trees are quite undemanding, as they still grow well on rocky ground and are not bothered by waterlogging or drought, at least for a short time. Ordinary, loose and well-drained garden soil is therefore perfect, with the pH value being between four and nine in the acidic to chalky range. The shrubs thrive best on sandy-loamy soil.
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    Plant service pear properly

    You can plant service pears both in spring and in autumn, although container goods can basically be planted all year round - provided the ground is not frozen or there is a summer heat wave. Before planting, you should prepare the soil well, digging it up thoroughly, loosening the topsoil and enhancing it according to its composition:

    • sandy soil: fold in compost
    • barren soil: fold in compost and horn shavings (32.93€).
    • heavy, loamy soil: create drainage, fold in sand and compost
    • wet soil: create drainage, fold in sand and compost

    Then place the service pear with its root ball in a bucket filled with water so that the plant can soak up moisture. In the meantime, dig out the planting hole, which should be about twice as wide and deep as the root ball. Place the shrub in the planting hole just as deep as it was in the pot and then water it well. If necessary, this is followed by a pruning of the plant, in which you slightly shorten all side shoots and cut back crossing, bent or otherwise injured branches.
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    watering and fertilizing

    Rock pear trees are very easy to care for and also do well on dry and nutrient-poor soils. Only freshly planted specimens should be watered in the first few weeks of drought, otherwise well-established shrubs usually need neither water nor fertilization. Only if the dry period lasts for a very long time and/or it gets very hot can you additionally water young plants. As far as fertilization is concerned, an annual application of compost in early spring is sufficient.

    Cut the pear properly

    As a rule, pear trees do not have to be cut back, as they develop their picturesque umbrella crown all by themselves over time. A rejuvenation pruning is also not necessary, especially since the blossom and fruit set is not promoted by a targeted pruning. Avoid radical pruning, especially with older shrubs, as they are difficult to sprout out of the old wood and then look quite ugly for years. Only remove too densely growing, diseased or dead branches with pruning shears directly at the ground or at the base. This is best done in late winter.
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    multiply service pear

    While the wild species of the service pear are preferably propagated by sowing, certain varieties (such as the large-flowered variant 'Ballerina') are preferably bred by grafting. For this you need a suitable scion and as a base either a wild service pear species or the strong seedling of the rowan berry. Rock pear grafted on rowanberries often grow larger and more upright. When sowing, you should stratify the seeds beforehand, i. H. expose to a cold stimulus to break the germ inhibition. All you have to do is store the seeds in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for four to six weeks.

    The propagation of cuttings, on the other hand, is difficult, since the shoots are difficult to encourage to develop their own roots, even with the help of a rooting powder. If you still want to try it, cut young, flowerless shoots between April and May and cultivate them in a pot with a nutrient-poor growing substrate.
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    hibernate

    Rock pear trees are absolutely hardy and do not need any additional protection during the cold season.

    diseases and pests

    The wild forms of the pear are very robust and not very susceptible to diseases and pests. Like so many rose plants, however, the cultivars in particular are plagued by fire blight, in which the flowers and leaves turn brown to black and fall off. The only measure that helps is a targeted pruning deep into the healthy wood. However, this disease is quite rare to encounter, with powdery mildew being a much more common threat. Prevent the fungal disease by not letting the crown become too dense and watering the shrub with plant strengtheners (e.g. a broth made from field horsetail).

    tips

    Rock pear can also be cultivated very well in large tubs. Place the shrubs in a humus-rich substrate mixed with sand or expanded clay and fertilize them once a year at the beginning of the growing season with a long-term fertilizer, such as blue grain. Horn shavings or horn meal are also very suitable. Every two to three years they are transferred to a larger plant pot.

    species and varieties

    The pear (bot. Amelanchier) is a botanical plant genus belonging to the pome fruit family (bot. Pyrinae), like apples and pears. It includes around 25 different species, almost all of which can be found on the North American continent, with the exception of one European species and two species that are widespread in Asia. The following species and their cultivars are mainly used in the garden:

    Amelanchier arborea (bot. Amelanchier arborea)

    In contrast to the other service pear trees, the ornamental tree does not grow as a shrub, but as a small tree and as such reaches heights of between six and eight meters. The crown can be up to five meters wide, which is why the tree rock pear needs a solitary location with enough space. Amelanchier arborea grows between 40 and 80 centimeters per year. The species is native to the Northwest of the USA, where it grows wild on river banks and in moist forests. The lightly fragrant, star-shaped flowers hang from the branches in multi-flowered racemes from April to May. The fruits are quite small, blue-black when ripe, and serve as food for numerous birds, such as blackbirds and sparrows. The vigorous cultivar 'Robin Hill', which is not yet very common in our country, is particularly recommended.

    Cactus pear (bot. Amelanchier spicata)

    The species, also known as spiked pear or spiked pear, grows like a shrub and is only between two and three meters high and just as wide. The frost-hardy wood is very suitable for planting in smaller gardens, in wild fruit and flowering hedges and as a container plant. Amelanchier spicata forms quite a lot of root suckers and therefore needs a greater distance to other plants. The fruits, which ripen in July and are a maximum of one centimeter in size, are edible and taste rather sweet.

    Serviceberry (bot. Amelanchier ovalis)

    The only species native to Europe is the European pear, which, after being almost forgotten, has been celebrating its comeback in the garden for several years. The medium-tall shrub reaches heights of growth between 150 and 300 centimeters and is about as wide. The species initially grows taut and narrow, upright, but in later years the twigs overhang slightly. Depending on the location, young trees grow between 15 and 40 centimeters per year. The robust service pear convinces with a sea of white blossoms in spring, edible fruits in summer and pretty leaf colors in autumn.

    Alder-leaved pear (bot. Amelanchier alnifolia)

    This is the well-known Saskatoon berry that is widely grown and marketed in Canada. The spherical, blue-violet fruits are reminiscent of cultivated blueberries in shape and size and taste quite similar. However, the alder-leaved pear also thrives excellently in our climate and is absolutely hardy. The species grows like a shrub and can grow up to four meters high and three meters wide. In addition to the lush flowers and numerous fruits, the large shrub also impresses with a beautiful red autumn color of its leaves. In addition to the wild form, the 'Northline' variety is also highly recommended. This becomes a little larger and usually grows with several stems. The 'Obelisk' variety, on the other hand, has a columnar, narrow growth, which grows up to five meters high but not even two meters wide.

    Rock pear (bot. Amelanchier laevis)

    The fruits of the pear are just as edible as they are tasty and can be processed into all kinds of delicious things. Even if its name does not suggest it, the "bald" service pear is densely leafy with olive-colored leaves, which are initially reddish-brown when they sprout. In May, the usually multi-stemmed large shrub with numerous white flowers arranged in overhanging racemes is delightful. The species grows up to five meters high and just as wide. A popular variety is 'Ballerina', which grows up to six meters tall and is particularly picturesque thanks to its arching, overhanging growth.

    Copper pear (bot. Amelanchier lamarckii)

    Probably the most commonly planted species in gardens is the copper pear, which grows as a large shrub with multiple trunks up to six meters high and just as wide and is considered to be very robust and undemanding. It owes its name to its fall coloration, which can range from coppery to flaming red depending on soil composition and intensity of sunlight. Following the extremely rich flowering in April, numerous, relatively large, blue-black berries develop. These are edible and quite tasty. A particularly large number of varieties of the copper pear were bred. The following varieties are recommended:

    • 'Princess Diana': slender, multi-stemmed bush, slightly overhanging, height of growth up to 600 centimetres, width of growth up to 4.5 metres
    • 'Prince William': narrow and compact-growing shrub, height of growth up to 250 centimetres, only up to two meters wide
    • 'Rainbow Pillar': slender, columnar growth, height between 300 and 500 centimeters, only up to two meters wide

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Trees