ABSTRACT
The genus is split between those grown for their ornamental value and those for fruit production. The ornamentals include about 15 species, found only in the Old World. Mostly small- to medium-sized trees, they display white flowers and attractive glossy green or grey foliage, sometimes having attractive autumn colours. Fruiting pears provide a range of fruit suitable for dessert and culinary purposes. As with some important fruit- and nut-producing Rosaceae, modern practice is to find rootstocks which will control growth and encourage early fruiting. Dependent upon overcoming issues of incompatibility, a number of exciting possibilities for the development of truly dwarf fruiting pear rootstocks remain to be discovered. Splice and whip and tongue are usually employed for the ornamentals; the culinary pears may be produced similarly. Grafting machines may be considered where very large numbers are involved. Bare-root rootstocks are favoured for both ornamentals and fruiting pears.
