NASHI PEAR Hosui Seeds | Pyrus pyrifolia

STEP 1 - Seeds require 8-10 weeks of cold stratification at 1°C prior to sowing. We’ve already completed this step for you.

STEP 2 - Fill a humidity dome seedling tray with Seed Raising Mix and plant the seeds 2mm deep.

STEP 3 - Water the seeds until the soil is damp to the touch. Make sure not to over water or else the seeds will become waterlogged and rot.

STEP 4 - Keep the tray in a well-lit area. The seedlings should be kept in a bright and warm area, like a windowsill, so they can grow. Remember that the more light a plant gets, the more water the plant will need. In 2-3 weeks, you should notice seedlings emerge.

STEP 5 - Wait until the seedlings have 4 true leaves. The first leaves that you’ll see on your seedlings are cotyledons and not true leaves. True leaves will develop over time and will resemble leaves from a fully grown Nashi Pear tree. Once there are at least 4 true leaves on your seedling, they are ready to transplant.

STEP 6 - Transplant the seedlings to individual pots or into the garden. Once you have unearthed a seedling, put it in a hole slightly larger than the root ball and fill in with Citrus Potting Mix.

Nashi Pear Hosui is very cold-hardy, tolerating temperatures down to at least -15°C when dormant. It also has lower chilling requirements than most other Pyrus species (450 hours at 8°C) and has been cultivated successfully in Australia as well as highland regions of the tropics like Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Prefers a good well-drained loam in full sun. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates light shade but does not fruit so well in such a position. Tolerates atmospheric pollution, excessive moisture and a range of soil types if they are moderately fertile. Established plants are drought tolerant. Cultivated for its edible fruit in China and Japan, there are more than 1,000 named varieties, and Hosui is considered to be the best. Hosui is self-pollinating however it will greatly benefit from cross pollination with another Nashi Pear species called Kosui to increase fruit set.

Fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. Nashi pears are crisp, juicy with a fine flavour. The cultivar Hosui produce fruit of supreme quality. Fruit of indifferent cultivars is sometimes dried or candied. The ideal Nashi Pear has firm, crisp, juicy flesh, without stone cells. The taste should be very sweet with a delicate flavour reminiscent of cucumber and rosewater, the skin golden yellow, sandpapery and with no russeting or blemishes. Generally, the fruits are eaten shortly after harvest, though some  can store for up to 6 weeks. The fruit contains about 6%-9.5% sugar and up to 0.56% fruit acids.

The fruit is considered to be febrifuge, nervine and pectoral. The leaves are astringent. The bark is antiseptic.

The seed of many species in the family Rosaceae contain Cyanogenic Glycosides. When the seeds are ingested, these compounds break down in the digestive tract to release Cyanide.

Used in small quantities in both traditional and conventional medicine, this poisonous compound has been shown to stimulate respiration, improve digestion, and promote a sense of well-being. It is also claimed by some to be of benefit in the treatment of cancer.

The levels of toxin can be detected by the level of bitterness: sweet almonds, for example, contain only very low levels of it and are safe to eat in quantity, whilst bitter almonds (which are used as a flavouring in foods such as marzipan) contain much higher levels and should only be eaten in very small quantities. Great caution should be employed if the taste is moderately to very bitter.