Korean Giant doesn't overset to the degree of most asians. Mine has always set about 2-3 times what I wanted for fruit. When thinning remember the fruit can get very large.

My guess is you'd be OK with the varieties you mention if the bloom of European and Asians overlap in your area.

The attached pollination chart may help.

Here is a link that might be useful: asian pear pollination chart

How about Harrow Sweet? Ripens later and I think may be better quality than ones you mention. Grows to a beautiful form and bears relatively young. It has good fireblight resistance (better than Seckel, I think) and Adams is now touting it as useful in your region, I believe.

The problem if your Euros flower too late is you will get no pollination and thus no fruit at all. If you look at the chart above there are a few self-fertile asians, so either switch to one of those or see if your Euros are early enough.

Scott

Here Seckel pollinates the Asians reliably- it's earlier than most Euros.

Hi,
I'm looking for a compatible, disease free pear selection as pollinators for Harrow Sweet. I want to stay away from Boscs and Bartlett(not quince compatible) if I can to minimize spraying. I've read that Harrow Delight isn't a good pollen source and am considering Potomac, Blake's Pride, and am open to suggestions.
What do y'all think?
Noogy

Hi Noogy,

What did you end up picking as a pollinator for your Harrow Sweet?

From what I read several pear posts on the forum, I chose Harrow Sweet and Blake's Pride and planted them this year (from Schlabach).

We probably can talk about what they taste like 10 years from now!!!

My Harrow Sweet is holding exactly 1 pear right now. I'm pretty sure it was pollinated (by hand) by a Bradford pear that I've used in the past on my Seckel.

HI Frank,

Please don't forget to report how your one and only Harrow Sweet tastes. How long does it take your tree to fruit?

I've heard good things about Harrow Sweet's taste but have not heard much at all about Blake's Pride.

Harrow sweet bears fruit quite young for a pear and even in my nursery very small trees try to fruit.

Thank you, H-man. That's encouraging news.

Now, if only someone can tell me what Blake's Pride taste like!!

Is there a chart for which European Pears will cross-pollinate with Asian Pears? I'm turning my back yard into a seasonal orchard, and want one of each in my little yard!

Mamuang,
I went with potomac, but have so muck different pollen flying around I don't think it'll matter!
Badducky,
Ubileen is one of the better ones from what I've heard.
Noogy

I've been researching some more, and Seckel would supposedly pollinate most mid to late Asian varieties, but I'm concerned that L.E. Cooke only lists them as a "5" in fireblight tolerance, out of "10"! I would hesitate to plant anything with less than an "8" when so many quality varieties are available that meet that mark.

I'm really interested in Shinko Asian Pears because of their fireblight resistance. I'm looking at hybrid pears for the same reason. One thing that's really hard to find is bloom information for low-chill hybrid pears in the south.

Does anyone know if, for instance, a Fan-Still, Fan-Crisp, Monterrey, Ayers, Pineapple, Moonglow or Orient will bloom at an appropriate time to pollinate a Shinko Asian Pear? (these are just varieties I recall seeing at the local garden center. I know there are others recommended for the area that have high resistance)

I wish someone with that knowledge, particularly in Texas where hybrid and Asian Pears are highly-recommended, would put together a bloom chart with cross-pollination information!

Has anyone had any recent experience in pollinating Asian pears with european ones? Bloom-time is variable, but if I have it correct, Honeysweet is a good self-fertile european pear that might work with Asian pears.

Any luck out there?

As a belated response as to Texas (Dallas) bloom times, here's the 2014 numbers. New trees that havent bloomed yet are blank

20'th Century 25-Mar
Ambrosia (yr 1) 30-Mar
Atago (office) 10-Mar
Ayers
Chojuro 25-Mar
Douglas
F d Moulins-Lille
Green Jade 22-Mar
Green Jade office 22-Mar
Harrow Delight (yr 1)22-Mar
Harrow Sweet (yr 2) 23-Mar
Harvest Queen
Honeysweet
Hosui 26-Mar
Hosui Office 18-Mar
K Giant 22-Mar
K Giant Office 22-Mar
Keiffer (office) 15-Mar
Keiffer (office) 15-Mar
Keiffer (office) 15-Mar
Keiffer (old office)14-Mar
Korean (1yr) 27-Mar
Korean (office) 19-Mar
Korean (old office) 15-Mar
Kosui 22-Mar
Kosui Office 22-Mar
LeConte 15-Mar
LeConte ofc ? Mar15?
Magness office 22-Mar
Misharusu (yr 1) 30-Mar
Moonglow
Orient
Raja 25-Mar
Seckle
Shinko
Shinko (ofc) 1-Apr
Shinko (old ofc) 28-Mar
Shin Li
Shinseiki 25-Mar
Tri pear (office) 18-Mar
Tsu Li (office)
Yoinashi (office) 22-Mar
Yoinashi (yr 2) 23-Mar

maxine 30-Mar

This spring my Orient pear was in full bloom on 03-27-2014. My only Asian pear (unknown variety) was also in bloom. My Ayers was in full bloom on 03-31-2014. I kept records for the reason your asking. Hope this helps. Bill

bhawkins. Thanks, I like your list better. Bill

lindsgarden what did you end up doing and how did it work? I'm also in Sothern Maryland and getting ready for planting this spring.