A very highly regarded late-season dessert pear from Belgium, with an excellent sweet flavour. The fruits keep well.
Also known as
- French Seedling
Winter Nelis pear identification images
All images copyright Orange Pippin unless otherwise stated.
USDA identification images for Winter Nelis
The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.
Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.
Visitor reviews
- 25 Apr 2024Small, with bitter, tough and slippery skin and uninteresting, watery flesh.
Tree register
United States
- Kevin Yeadon in OAK HARBOR, WA
United Kingdom
- Reach Community Orchard in Cambridge,
- Reach Community Orchard in Cambridge,
- Reach Community Orchard in Cambridge,
- Amanda in London,
- Claire in LANCASTER, LANCASHIRE
- Elaine Anderson in COLCHESTER, ESSEX
- Mary Fielding in LEDBURY, HEREFORDSHIRE
- Will Davenport in Crowborough, EAST SUSSEX
Netherlands
- Cheuk A Lam in Amsterdam, NOORD-HOLLAND
Australia
- Evan in Launceston, TASMANIA
Spring blossom records for this variety
2022 season
- 4th May 2022 - tree owned by Cheuk in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.
Origins
- Species: Pyrus communis - Pear
- Originates from: Mechelen / Malines, Belgium
- Introduced: 1818
- Developed by: M. Jean Charles Nelis
- UK National Fruit Collection accession: 1973-319
Identification
- Country of origin: Belgium
- Period of origin: 1800 - 1849
- Fruit colour: Green / Yellow
- Flower colour: White
- Leaf colour: Green
- Annual cycle: Deciduous
Using
- Picking season: Late
- Keeping (of fruit): 1-2 months
- Flavour quality: Very good
- Cropping: Heavy
- Fruit persistence: Normal ripening
- Food uses: Eating fresh
- Picking period: early November
- Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators
- Rootstock size class: Standard
- Rootstock % of standard: 100%
- Rootstock % of standard: 105%
- Rootstock compatibility: European pear
- Rootstock compatibility: Asian pear
Growing
- Gardening skill: Experienced
- Flowering group: 4
- Pollinating others: Average
- Ploidy: Diploid
- Vigour: Weak growing
- Precocity: Slow to start bearing
- Bearing regularity: Regular
- Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
Climate
- Climate suitability: Temperate climates
- Climate suitability: Warm climates
- Summer average maximum temperatures: Cool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)
- Summer average maximum temperatures: Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
Other qualities
- Disease resistance: Poor
- Scab (Apple and Pear): Some resistance
- Powdery mildew: Some susceptibility
- Fire blight: Very susceptible
- Pear blossom blast: Some resistance
- Crown Gall: Some resistance
- Root suckers: Many
- Root lesion nematode: Some susceptibility
- Honey / Oak root fungus: Some resistance
- Black end / Hard end: Very resistant
- Pear decline: Some resistance
- Pear Psylla: Some resistance
Where to buy trees
The following tree nurseries offer Winter Nelis pear trees for sale:
- Orange Pippin Fruit Trees (UK) United Kingdom
Winter Nelis pear trees
Where to buy fresh fruit
No orchards have registered as growing this variety. If you grow this and want to register please go to our Orchard Registration form.
References
- Fruit Expert
Author: Hessayon - The Book of Pears (2015)
Author: Morgan
258 - The Fruit Manual
Author: Hogg