Nashi Pear

Hosui

Nashi 'Hosui' (Pyrus pyrifolia) is one of the finest Japanese pears for New Zealand gardens — a superb dessert fruit with large, round, russeted golden-brown fruit and white-flecked skin. The flesh is crisp, fine-textured, sweet and very juicy with just enough acid for balance, and the flavour is rich and refreshing eaten fresh off the tree. It is a mid-season variety ripening slightly earlier than 'Nijiseiki' (mid to late summer), and a real advantage is keeping quality: 'Hosui' stores for two to three months under refrigeration, far longer than most nashi. Trees are vigorous when young then settle, reaching 5-6 m, and respond well to central-leader training and espalier. 'Hosui' is only partially self-fertile, so plant it with 'Nijiseiki' (or a double-grafted tree) for heavy crops. Give it a sunny, sheltered site with fertile, well-drained soil, thin fruitlets for size, and enjoy one of the great eating pears over an extended season.

Kosui

Nashi 'Kosui' (Pyrus pyrifolia) is a classic early Japanese pear and the variety that opens the nashi season in New Zealand, ripening ahead of 'Hosui' with medium to large round fruit in golden-brown russet skin. The flesh is outstanding fresh — crisp, sweet, very juicy with a clean refreshing taste that makes 'Kosui' a perfect summer dessert pear for eating straight from the tree. As an early variety it does not store long, so pick and enjoy it at its peak over its short season rather than keeping. Trees are attractive with medium-large leaves, suit espalier training, and thrive in a sunny, sheltered spot with fertile, well-drained soil anywhere apples grow. 'Kosui' is not self-fertile and must be planted with a compatible nashi pollinator such as 'Hosui' or 'Nijiseiki' to set a good crop. Plant a partner from the start, thin the fruitlets for size and sweetness, and savour the first nashi of summer.

Reddy Robin

Nashi 'Reddy Robin' (Pyrus pyrifolia) is an exciting New Zealand-bred red-blush nashi (PVR #30814) that stands out in the orchard and the fruit bowl. Unlike the bronze-russet Japanese types, its lemon-yellow fruit develop a very noticeable bright red-orange blush as they ripen, making the crop as ornamental as it is delicious. The flesh is firm, crisp and juicy-sweet with a mild, low-acid flavour and a distinctive aromatic sweetness that many tasters rate ahead of older varieties. Trees are very productive, show useful resistance to black spot, and typically form a vase-shaped tree around 4 m tall with glossy green foliage. As with most nashi, plant a compatible pollinator variety nearby for the heaviest crops, give it a sunny sheltered site with good airflow, and thin fruitlets so the remaining pears size up and colour well. A highly attractive, easy-care dessert nashi with genuine Kiwi provenance.