Bloomipedia
Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia)
Photo: Ira Gershenhorn via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized

Fruit tree

Asian pear

Pyrus pyrifolia

Asian pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) is a tree in the Rosaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states.

🌷 Fruit treeIntroduced in the lower 48

Asian pear is a popular fruit tree. It's on our flower lists for 27 states.

4states where USDA records it
27Bloomipedia state lists include it
22U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 23, 2026. Our state lists also include states where people grow it in gardens, so they can outnumber USDA's wild-plant records. Planted garden trees are mostly excluded from research grade.

On our lists for: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington

Quick look

Pyrus pyrifolia is a species of pear tree native to southern China and northern Indochina that has been introduced to Korea, Japan and other parts of the world. The tree's edible fruit is known by many names, including Asian pear, Persian pear, Japanese pear, Chinese pear, Korean pear, Taiwanese pear, apple pear, zodiac pear, three-halves pear, papple, naspati, bata kisbis, Fefeta grained pear and sand pear.

  • It belongs to the Rosaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
  • iNaturalist has 3 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #127 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #132 among the 184 flowers on our Oregon list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3 research-grade sightings of it in Virginia, ranking #158 among the 189 flowers on our Virginia list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Not enough flowering records on iNaturalist to chart yet.

Bloom time in the 27 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
California🌷 Gardenno flowering records3
Oregon🌷 Gardenno flowering records3
Virginia🌷 Gardenno flowering records3
Washington🌷 Gardenno flowering records3
Georgia🌷 Gardenno flowering records2
Michigan🌷 Gardenno flowering records2
Ohio🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Pennsylvania🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
South Carolina🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Texas🌷 Gardenno flowering records1
Colorado🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Florida🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Iowa🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Idaho🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Illinois🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Indiana🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Kentucky🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Louisiana🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Massachusetts🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Maryland🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Missouri🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
North Carolina🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
New Jersey🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
New Mexico🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
New York🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Oklahoma🌷 Gardenno flowering records0
Utah🌷 Gardenno flowering records0

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 19 of our 27 states.
See each state
California
Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe has no California rank for it. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
Oregon
Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe has no Oregon rank for it. OAR 603-073-0070
Virginia
Not listed Not on Virginia endangered and threatened plant and insect species (2VAC5-320-10). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Virginia. 2VAC5-320-10
Georgia
Not listed Not on Georgia protected plants (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 391-4-10-.09; a 2026 update is proposed). NatureServe has no Georgia rank for it. Ga. R. 391-4-10-.09
Michigan
Not listed Not on Michigan endangered and threatened plants (Mich. Admin. Code R 299.1028, eff. March 20, 2023). NatureServe has no Michigan rank for it. R 299.1028
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe has no Ohio rank for it. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe has no Pennsylvania rank for it. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
Texas
Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe has no Texas rank for it. 31 TAC 69.8
Florida
Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe has no Florida rank for it. FAC 5B-40.0055
Iowa
Not listed Not on Iowa endangered, threatened and special concern plants (Iowa Admin. Code r. 571-77.3). NatureServe has no Iowa rank for it. IAC 571-77.3
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe has no Kentucky rank for it. 400 KAR 3:040
Massachusetts
Not listed Not on Massachusetts Endangered Species Act list (321 CMR 10.90). NatureServe has no Massachusetts rank for it. MESA list
Maryland
Not listed Not on Maryland threatened and endangered plants (COMAR 08.03.08.05, .06 and .08). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Maryland. COMAR 08.03.08
Missouri
Not listed Not on Missouri Wildlife Code endangered species (3 CSR 10-4.111), plants. NatureServe has no Missouri rank for it. 3 CSR 10-4.111
North Carolina
Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe has no North Carolina rank for it. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
New Jersey
Not listed Not on New Jersey Endangered Plant Species List (N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1). NatureServe has no New Jersey rank for it. N.J.A.C. 7:5C-5.1
New Mexico
Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe has no New Mexico rank for it. 19.21.2.9 NMAC
New York
Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe has no New York rank for it. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
Washington
No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe has no Washington rank for it.
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe has no South Carolina rank for it.
Colorado
No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe has no Colorado rank for it.
Idaho
No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe has no Idaho rank for it.
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe has no Indiana rank for it.
Louisiana
No list Louisiana has no state list of endangered or threatened plants separate from the federal list, so we show federal status and NatureServe's Louisiana ranks. NatureServe has no Louisiana rank for it.
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe has no Oklahoma rank for it.
Utah
No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe has no Utah rank for it.
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 23, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “Fruits are edible raw or cooked” NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records Asian pear in 4 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.

Virginia counties with USDA records: Dinwiddie, Fluvanna, Hanover, King and Queen, Pittsylvania, Southampton, Surry.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Pyrus serotina.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 9 counties across 3 states; the most are in Virginia (7), District of Columbia (1), Illinois (1).

Other Pyrus on Bloomipedia (1): European pear.

More from the Rosaceae family (103 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Toyon, Thimbleberry, Wineberry, Black raspberry.

More California flowers

Sources