Pear 'Joséphine de Malines'

Widely considered one of the finest winter dessert pears available to the UK gardener. This Belgian variety produces small, conical fruits with a pale green skin that turns yellowish when ripe. The flesh is pink-tinged, intensely sweet, and has a rich, perfumed aroma. It is a slow-growing tree with a somewhat pendulous, spreading habit, often requiring careful pruning to maintain its shape. It produces small clusters of white flowers in late spring. This cultivar is prized for its late harvest in October and its ability to store well into February, providing fruit when little else is available from the garden. It is a reliable cropper but requires a sheltered, warm spot to ensure the fruit develops its full sugars. It is not self-fertile and requires a pollination partner from group 4 or 5. A superb choice for any fruit enthusiast.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Moist but well-drained loam.

Hardiness: H4 — down to −10°C.

Flowering: Apr, May.