Moonglow Pear Tree

Moonglow Pear Tree is a vigorous, productive European pear valued for its attractive fruit, smooth flesh, and strong resistance to fire blight. The large pears develop yellow skin, often with an attractive reddish blush as they ripen.

The flesh is soft, juicy, mild, and nearly free of the gritty texture found in some traditional Southern pears. Moonglow pears are enjoyable for fresh eating and are also useful for canning, preserves, desserts, baking, and other homemade recipes.

Moonglow was released by the USDA in 1960 as part of its pear-breeding work to develop productive pears with improved fire-blight resistance.

PLANT DETAILS

• Botanical name: Pyrus communis ‘Moonglow’
• Pear type: European pear
• Fruit size: Large
• Fruit color: Yellow, often with a reddish blush
• Flavor: Mild, pleasant, and lightly sweet
• Texture: Soft, juicy, and nearly grit-free
• Harvest season: Early pear season, depending on location and weather
• Mature size: Approximately 15–20 feet tall on standard rootstock; smaller on dwarfing rootstock
• Sun requirements: Full sun
• Soil: Fertile, moist but well-drained soil
• Chill requirement: Commonly listed at approximately 500–700 chill hours
• Pollination: Requires another compatible pear variety
• Disease resistance: Strong resistance to fire blight
• Best uses: Fresh eating, canning, preserves, baking, desserts, and edible landscapes

Tree size will depend heavily on the rootstock. Standard trees may reach approximately 20 feet, while trees on dwarfing rootstocks may remain around 8–12 feet tall.

POLLINATION

Moonglow is not considered reliably self-fertile and should be planted with another compatible pear variety that flowers at approximately the same time.

Best Pollinator Partner from Our Selection

• Orient Pear Tree

Orient and Moonglow share compatible bloom groups and are commonly recommended as pollination partners. Orient is the best choice from our Southern pear selection because its flowering period is more likely to overlap with Moonglow.

Ayers may also provide cross-pollination when the two trees bloom together, but bloom overlap can vary according to location and winter temperatures.

Do not automatically rely on Hood, Flordahome, Baldwin, or Kieffer as the only pollinator for Moonglow. These varieties may flower earlier, and dependable bloom overlap is not guaranteed every year.

NORTH FLORIDA GROWING NOTE

Moonglow may grow and produce fruit in colder inland areas of North Florida and the Florida Panhandle, including locations that receive sufficient winter chilling. However, it is not as low-chill or as consistently adapted to warm Southern winters as Hood, Flordahome, Baldwin, Orient, or other Southern pear varieties.

Its reported chilling requirement ranges from approximately 500 to 700 hours. Production may be reduced following a warmer winter if the tree does not receive enough chilling.

For the best results:

• Plant in full sun with good air circulation
• Choose a well-drained location
• Plant Orient nearby for cross-pollination
• Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer
• Remove any fire-blight damage promptly
• Expect production to vary with winter chill and spring weather

Moonglow’s strong fire-blight resistance is a valuable trait for the humid Southeast, but resistance does not mean the tree is completely immune to disease.