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Nanking Cherry vs Loving Pear
Pyrus Loving
Prunus tomentosa
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
Loving Pear is a Russian pear variety with a mild sweet flavor and a hint of sour. It is known for being cold hardy and disease resistant. They are green in colour but will transition to have a slightly golden red blush when ripe. With a minimal neck, they have a more rounded appearance.
They ripen in early September. It is recommended that they are harvested as the seeds begin to brown. They can finish ripening after picking. They keep well in cold storage and are suited for fresh eating, juicing, and dehydrating.
The Loving Pear requires a second variety for cross pollination. Some compatible varieties include Krazulya, Golden Spice, and others.
Nanking Cherry is a small deciduous shrub known for its attractive white blossoms and edible fruit. Its dark red berries are excellent for pies, jellies, and even fresh eating.
Nanking Cherry is highly regarded as a shade tolerant fruit. We often see it planted as a hedge on the north side of a house where few other plants will survive, let alone thrive.
Expect fruit mid to late July. The fruit can vary in sweetness and size considerably. We often hear that people prefer it to sour cherries. Perhaps this is because Nanking Cherry is more closely related to plums. In fact, it is sometimes used as a dwarfing rootstock for plums.
Note: This species is currently unavailable. Grow your own using Nanking Cherry seeds at SeedTime.ca.