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• Kinds of Wild Pear Trees. In general, wild pears are cold-hardy trees that require a set amount of time with temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for fruit to properly set. Wild pears are available in dwarf varieties (10 feet or less) or larger trees that can reach 25 feet.

• Dwarf pear trees are an excellent choice for the home garden or home landscape as they grow to a height of 8 to 10 feet tall, they have beautiful spring blossoms, and attractive fall foliage. Fruiting begins in the second year after planting.

Pear trees grow well in Michigan, with Bartlett and Bosc being the major varieties produced commercially in Michigan. The most cold-hardy fruit trees, pears aren't bothered by Michigan's long and chilly winters. Home gardeners can plant their own pear trees in the spring from container saplings or bare-root trees.

The Jesuit pear tree was recently nominated to be on the Ark of Taste roster for preservation. So far, Slow Food Huron Valley has mapped just nine Jesuit pear trees in Michigan, and they ask everyone to be on the lookout. If you happen to know the location of one, please visit their website.

The size of the Detroit pear tree was its most notable quality. Said to grow up to eighty feet, these trees were virtually disease resistant, low maintenance, and produced such a profusion of fruit that one tree could feed a large family for months. Moreover, they were known to triple their crop every three years.

Willis Orchard Company offers a fine selection of pear trees for sale that will produce delicious fruits for your home orchard from July to October. Standard pears ripen best off the tree, so pick them while firm and store in a paper bag in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks to complete ripening.