Seckel Pear

Naturally semi-dwarf, relatively small tree, compact. Light grey bark resembles apple tree. Vigorous productive tree, easily grown. Cold-hardy, frost resistant, resistant to fire blight, good resistance to most common pear diseases, better fire blight tolerance than many varieties. Partially self-fertile, needs at least one different cultivar nearby to ensure adequate pollination, performs best with pollinator. Good pollinators include Starking Delicious, Moonglow. Hardiest bloom in spring.

White flowers bloom mid-spring, mid-season bloom. Small dessert pears, tiny bell-shaped, chubby with rounded olive green bodies and short necks and stems. Small chunky round shape, olive-green to maroon skin when ripe, greenish skin with maroon/red blush. Very sweet candy-like flavor, intense sweetness, rich honeyed flavor with hint of spice, one of sweetest pear varieties available. Sweet with little spice, sweet aromatic. Creamy-white fine-grained flesh, firm yet creamy, smooth with no grit cells. Small but intensely sweet. Ripens September, harvest period starts September and lasts until February, mid to late summer. Can last up to 5 months in storage. Excellent for fresh eating right off tree. 

Discovered as wild seedling in Pennsylvania, believed to be named after Pennsylvania farmer who first introduced it late 18th century. Planted at Monticello by Thomas Jefferson. Horticulturalist A.J. Downing rated its flavor above even European pear varieties. Widely known as "Sugar Pear" or "Candy Pear" due to extreme sweetness.