As I said in my last post, my lung collapsed before the tasting began in earnest, but I still got to sample several cultivars. I was not impressed with the Asian pear varieties that I tasted (too watery), but I really liked the 'Rising Star' and 'Atlas Super Orient'. According to the organizers, the crowd favorites were Acres Home, Southern Queen, Southern King, Tennhosui, and Florida 58-45. I didn't get to taste all of these, but I would have to say that the Florida 58-45 is probably the best pear I have ever eaten, and you can be sure that I will be grafting it to one of my pear trees this winter. It is very productive, delicious, and you don't have to ripen it. You can eat it crisp right off the tree. I would say it is to pears what the Honeycrisp cultivar is to apples.
Yvonne setting up the pears. Sorry for posting this late, but here it is. Back in late August, the Gulf Coast Fruit Study Group held their annual pear tasting. I don't know exactly how many cultivars were represented, but there had to have been at least 30. Pears were provided by the GCFSG demonstration orchard, Dr. Ethan Natelson, and others. John Panzarella and Dr. Randall also brought pomegranates to sample, and over 90 people showed up for the event.
As I said in my last post, my lung collapsed before the tasting began in earnest, but I still got to sample several cultivars. I was not impressed with the Asian pear varieties that I tasted (too watery), but I really liked the 'Rising Star' and 'Atlas Super Orient'. According to the organizers, the crowd favorites were Acres Home, Southern Queen, Southern King, Tennhosui, and Florida 58-45. I didn't get to taste all of these, but I would have to say that the Florida 58-45 is probably the best pear I have ever eaten, and you can be sure that I will be grafting it to one of my pear trees this winter. It is very productive, delicious, and you don't have to ripen it. You can eat it crisp right off the tree. I would say it is to pears what the Honeycrisp cultivar is to apples.
3 Comments
Michael Honel
9/12/2011 04:32:04 am
I am glad that you have returned! I am going to have to plant a pear tree, especially if it rains.
Reply
Richard Hays
9/12/2011 01:37:54 pm
Welcome back. Glad you are better. Will have to add Florida 58-45 to my collection also.
Reply
BobM
1/30/2019 07:30:43 pm
Where can you purchase the Florida 58-45? Never heard of it but I wouldn't mind getting one. Does it grow well on the FLorida panhandle?
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Clayton Bell
I'm a geologist in Houston, Texas who loves growing fruit trees.
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