Culture
Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers sandy or clay loams, but is adaptable to a wide range of soils and soil conditions. Site in a location where periodic chemical spraying will not pose problems to adjacent areas.
STARKING DELICIOUS needs another variety for cross-pollination.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Pears, like apples, are pome fruits and many are grown primarily for their fruit. Cultivated pears are grafted onto rootstocks which influence the size of the tree, resistance to pests and diseases, time to fruiting maturity, and overall longevity.
Genus name is the Latin name for pear.
STARKING DELICIOUS is an exclusive introduction from Stark Bro's Nursery of Louisiana, Missouri. Stark Bro's sells this cultivar grafted onto both standard (15-20' tall) and dwarf (8-10' tall) rootstocks. The tree growing at the Kemper Center is grafted to a dwarf rootstock. Dwarf trees bear standard size fruit but have the advantages of fitting into smaller spaces and of being more manageable (e.g., easier to spray, prune an harvest). Creamy white flowers in dense corymbs appear in profusion in early spring. Flowers give way to large, Bartlett-type, golden yellow pears which ripen in early September in USDA Zone 5.
Problems
Pears are generally difficult to grow in Missouri. Only cultivars with good fireblight resistance should be attempted. This cultivar is reported to have good fireblight resistance. Scab can also be a problem. Potential insect problems include codling moths, borers, aphids, scale, leaf rollers and mites. Although good cultural and sanitation practices are always essential, chemical spraying is usually necessary in order to control pests. Cold temperature injury to flower buds and flowers from early spring frosts is not uncommon.
Uses
Grown primarily for the fruit crop, but early spring bloom has good ornamental value.