Early Gold Pear
Early Gold is a cold-hardy, early-season pear prized for its crisp sweetness, ornamental spring blossoms, and reliable performance in northern orchards.
- Taste: crisp and sweet with fine-grained, juicy white flesh that offers a classic pear aroma
- Skin & Flesh Color: smooth light green skin that ripens to golden yellow; snow-white, tender flesh
- Harvest Season: early to mid-September, typically about ten days ahead of its Ure parent
- Disease Resistance: strong tolerance to fire blight and chlorosis; vigorous growth even in cooler, humid climates
- Best Uses: fresh eating, baking (tarts, pies, galettes), canning, preserves, and diced in salads or salsas
- Storage Life: holds 2–4 weeks under cool, humid storage; maintains crisp texture and flavor
- Pollination: partially self-fertile but yields best when cross-pollinated with other early pears like Summercrisp or Bartlett
- Chill Hours: thrives with 600–1,000 chill hours; reliably hardy to USDA Zone 3
- Blossom & Ornamental Appeal: large white flowers with purple anthers in spring, followed by fine yellow-gold fruit; attractive fall foliage adds seasonal interest
- Origin & Heritage: seedlings of the Ure pear selected for earlier ripening and enhanced cold hardiness, making it a staple in northern backyard orchards
