Concorde Pear Trees

• Variety: Concorde, Conference crossed with Doyenne du Comice
• Latin name: Pyrus communis 'Concorde'
• Use: Dessert pear
• Sold as: Bareroot maiden, bush and half-standard. Pot-grown half-standard in a 15 litre pot
• Rootstock: Quince A (semi-vigorous)
• Mature size: About 3 to 4m as a bush
• Pollination: Group D. Partially self-fertile: it crops alone, and better with a partner
• Season: October to November. Pick the pears hard and ripen them indoors
• Bearing: Spur bearer, good for training on wires
• Best soil and site: Deep, fertile, moist but well-drained, fairly neutral soil in a sheltered, sunny position
• Wildlife: RHS Plants for Pollinators
• Hardiness: H6, hardy through the British winter
• RHS AGM: Yes (1993)
• Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Pot-grown, all year when in stock. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Concorde is a compact dessert pear bred from Conference and Doyenne du Comice, in season from October to November. It is partially self-fertile in pollination group D, grows to about 3 to 4 metres on Quince A, trains well on wires and holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Concorde Pear Trees

'Concorde' is a popular pear with gardeners. The sweet, soft fruit are good quality and store well. The crop size on a mature tree is excellent. Concorde trees are ideal for growing on wires as an espalier or cordon etc as they have very flexible side shoots. As a pear it has many of the qualities of Conference and of Doyenne du Comice (which are its two parents). A really sensible choice for an all round eating pear.

Browse our range of pear trees or see the full variety of fruit trees.

Pollination Partners for Concorde:
To make fruit, most pear trees need to be pollinated by another variety. Concorde will bear some fruit on its own, but still needs a partner for the best crops.
Concorde is in pollination group D.
This means that it can cross-pollinate with trees in Groups C & D.
Please see our guide to Pollinating Pear Trees for a full list of partners for Concorde.

Growing Concorde Pear Trees:
Rich soil is important: dig in plenty of good manure and compost before planting. Soil drainage must be good. The more sun your trees get, the better your crops will be. Always plant using Rootgrow.

Details about delivery sizes: Guide to Fruit Tree Sizing.

History & Trivia

Bred at the East Malling Research Station, where the cross was made in 1968 and the seedling selected in 1977, from Conference and Doyenne du Comice.

Planting Companions

Conference and Doyenne du Comice, its parents, are both good partners and are linked above. Winter Nelis and Glou Morceau share group D, and Beth and Beurre Hardy are in group C next door. Dust bareroot roots with Rootgrow as you plant.

Why Buy Your Pear Tree from Ashridge?

Ashridge has sold trees since 1949. Your bareroot Concorde is field grown specifically for us on Quince A and lifted fresh to order, and maidens are pre-pruned before despatch. Bareroot trees are guaranteed for 12 months, and so is a potted tree delivered leafless between November and March.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Concorde need a pollination partner?

It is partially self-fertile, so it sets some fruit alone and crops best with a partner from group C or D. Avoid the triploid Merton Pride, which pollinates nothing.

How big does a Concorde pear tree grow?

On Quince A, about 3 to 4 metres as a bush. The RHS figure of up to 8 metres depends on the rootstock, and all our pears are on Quince A.

When are Concorde pears ready?

They are in season from October to November. Pears ripen off the tree: pick them while they are still hard and ripen them indoors, and you avoid a gritty pear.

Can you train Concorde as a cordon or espalier?

Yes. It is a spur bearer with flexible side shoots, so it suits wires well. Buy a maiden for this: we pre-prune it before despatch for the form you choose.

Where should you plant it?

In a sheltered, sunny position in deep, fertile, fairly neutral soil. The RHS warns that it will not thrive on very acid soil, on shallow chalk, or in shade for more than half the day.

Which form should you buy?

A maiden is a young tree, pre-pruned before despatch for the shape you want to grow. Bush and half-standard trees are older and already shaped, and the half-standard has the taller trunk.

When are the trees delivered?

Bareroot trees are delivered from November to April, while they are dormant. Pot-grown trees can be delivered and planted in any month when you find them in stock.