Pyrus salicifolia
Encyclopedia
Pyrus salicifolia is a species of pear
, native to the Middle East
. It is also widely grown as an ornamental tree
, almost always as a pendulous (or "weeping") cultivar
, and is called by various common names, including Willow-leafed Pear, Willowleaf Pear, Weeping Pear, and similar. The tree is small and rounded, rarely reaching 10-12 meters in height and bearing pendulous, silvery foliage, superficially similar to a weeping willow
. The flowers are large and pure white highlighted with black-tipped stamen
s although the buds are tipped with red. The small green fruits are not edible, being hard and astringent.
This tree is cultivated widely in gardens and landscapes. It grows well on infertile sandy soils due to its spreading root system. The trees flower in the spring, but during the rest of the year can be trimmed back and shaped almost like topiary
. This species of tree is very susceptible to fireblight
, a bacterial pathogen.
Pyrus salicifolia may also be confused with P. nivalis which is generally taller and hardly pendulous or with P. eleagrifolia which had broader entire leaves and longer petioles.
Pear
The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....
, native to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. It is also widely grown as an ornamental tree
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
, almost always as a pendulous (or "weeping") cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
, and is called by various common names, including Willow-leafed Pear, Willowleaf Pear, Weeping Pear, and similar. The tree is small and rounded, rarely reaching 10-12 meters in height and bearing pendulous, silvery foliage, superficially similar to a weeping willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
. The flowers are large and pure white highlighted with black-tipped stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s although the buds are tipped with red. The small green fruits are not edible, being hard and astringent.
This tree is cultivated widely in gardens and landscapes. It grows well on infertile sandy soils due to its spreading root system. The trees flower in the spring, but during the rest of the year can be trimmed back and shaped almost like topiary
Topiary
Topiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful; and the term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way. It can be...
. This species of tree is very susceptible to fireblight
Fireblight
Fire blight, also written fireblight, is a contagious disease affecting apples, pears, and some other members of the family Rosaceae. It is a serious concern to producers of apples and pears...
, a bacterial pathogen.
Pyrus salicifolia may also be confused with P. nivalis which is generally taller and hardly pendulous or with P. eleagrifolia which had broader entire leaves and longer petioles.