Hello,
Does anyone have recommendations for the best (in terms of disease resistance and flavor) dwarf Asian Pear varieties for the Willamette Valley?
Thanks, Ruthie

I really like Shiseiki. It's yellow and early. My very first 20th Century pear ripened this year and it was fantastic. I also grow Chojuro, which I like, but not as much. I had been growing Don Bae/Korean Giant, but the limb broke from too much heavy fruit this year. Great keeper, but the flavor is less interesting. None of mine get diseases to speak of, but the codling moths sure love them.
John S
PDX OR

Thanks for the recommendations, John. Are either Shiseiki or 20th Century dwarves?
Ruth

Dwarf is the rootstock. You could buy different rootstocks for the tree. Shinseiki and 20th Century are "flavors" or varieties.
John S
PDX OR

Oh but I won't be grafting...actually, my friend won't. These questions are for her. (although I may replace my aged Bartlet in the next eyar or 2) She wants to just go buy a tree and I understand that often times the nurseries have 'dwarf' on the tags but that they really are not and that it's good to look for/ask about the number of the rootstock. Clearly there is more I need to know about this. I'm a recent Master Gardener student and feel like I know less now than I did before I started.
Ruth

I just tried my first Ya Li, Chinese Asian pear. I found it refreshing and delicious, somewhat like Shinseiki.
John S
PDX OR

Thanks John...how big is your tree?

It's a semi-dwarf. I got it for $10 on sale about this time of year. It has limbs to about 17 feet maybe. It is noticeably taller than wide. I am trying to clear out the limbs that I don't like as much so the new varieties I've grafted will get bigger and more productive. It gets bigger and stronger every year. It's about 6 years old maybe.
John S
PDX OR

Thanks John!