# Need help identifying a pitted fruit



## pwrose (Oct 13, 2010)

I will get some pics later but see if you can help me out by way of a description.

The tree is located in south eastern Virginia (Portsmouth to be exact).
It is only about 8-10 foot tall.
The fruit is about 1 - 1.5 inches in size, color is currently greenish/brown, smooth skin like an apple, the stem is much like an apple, even the bottom is like an apple. Unlike other pitted (stone) fruit it does not have a point on the bottom of the fruit, like before it has more of a bottom like an apple. The meat on the inside is a pale green almost yellow in color. I would not guess that they are ripe yet because they are as hard as a rock right now. The two that I picked an put on the counter have soften up some so I am guessing these will be a soft fruit like a peach or plum when they are ready.
It is also the only tree that I can find with in the small woods like that it is in. I am guessing that it is a self pollenated fruit.
I did not try them yet, being that I am not sure that they are edible, but don't put that past me when they are ripe. (if I suddenly quit posting for a while chances are it wasn't edible and I am either in the hospital or dead)

I will take some pics with my cell phone (dont expect great quality) of the tree and the fruit when I get back out there to do so.

Name that fruit!!!
now its a game show, the winner will get a bottle of wine made from this fruit if its possible


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## winemaker_3352 (Oct 13, 2010)

Persimmon possibly?


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## pwrose (Oct 13, 2010)

Persimmons dont have a stone for a seed.


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## pwrose (Oct 13, 2010)

Here are the pics

Fruit on the tree











Fruit off the tree





What the bottom looks like, like I said not the best camera to take pics with


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## winemaker_3352 (Oct 13, 2010)

hmm - if you cut one open - what does it smell like?

You might be right - they might be wild american plums.


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## closetwine (Oct 13, 2010)

WE have a variety of pears that looks like that.... I'll try to find out what kind.


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## pwrose (Oct 13, 2010)

It smells like some sort of pear. However I have never seen a pear with a pit.
I threw that one away, but when I get home I am going to cut the ones at home open and see what is inside the pit. If it is multiple seeds then I would not call it a pit, but more of a core. That would make it some sorta pear, but for now I still say it has a pit and not multiple seeds.


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## ffemt128 (Oct 13, 2010)

I saw a bunch of those when we were driving in both NC and SC and wondered what they were. I thought about stopping to check them out but didn't figure my wife or other people in the truck would have appreciated it.

Curious what they are now also. I thought they looked like pears when I saw them.


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## pwrose (Oct 13, 2010)

They are bigger than the bradford pear or the cleveland pear. However everything about them resembles a pear.

I dont know anyone, buler? buler? buler?


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## closetwine (Oct 13, 2010)

Lecont Pear — Pyrus x lecontei ECOS


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## closetwine (Oct 13, 2010)

Wild pears are one of the few cultivated fruits that once growing outside of an orchard environment can still fruit on their own with minimal care. Trees can be more shrub-like in exposed sites and more timber-like in competition with other trees. Some of the pears have developed resistance against fireblight and in most cases have few insect problems unlike apples. All of them could be used for consumption but most would require some processing to bring out the best flavors. Some of our customers have used the juice to make wine and jelly. The wood on pear is very beautiful and valuable. It is hardness and density makes it useful for musical cabinets and instruments. All are self fertile and grow in a variety of soils except very wet soils. .


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## pwrose (Oct 13, 2010)

I looked up this pear you speak of and found that it is not the same as the one I have.
The Le Conte Pear is about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide. The one I have is just over an inch on the largest ones and may 3/4 of an inch wide. Truthfully they are more round than they are pear shaped.

I don't think that is the correct one, but good try.


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## closetwine (Oct 13, 2010)

pwrose said:


> I looked up this pear you speak of and found that it is not the same as the one I have.
> The Le Conte Pear is about 3 inches long and 2 inches wide. The one I have is just over an inch on the largest ones and may 3/4 of an inch wide. Truthfully they are more round than they are pear shaped.
> 
> I don't think that is the correct one, but good try.



See what I read said that they only got up to 2 inches. Well it was a try, maybe we're on the right track.


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## pwrose (Oct 13, 2010)

Its a start, thats for sure


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## Sirs (Oct 13, 2010)

those are ornamental pears they're a small version of the asian pear


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## Sirs (Oct 13, 2010)

these are everywhere the fruit is brick hard till almost frost then it turns to a mush once it falls from the tree I used to have a monsterous one in my front yard makes good preserves but a real pain never thought to try wine


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## Sirs (Oct 13, 2010)

is this what they look like? I tried pic it wouldn't show so here's a link

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_C8Zfdzh3Tj4/StuRDhMCF8I/AAAAAAAACw8/ie7hujLXIiQ/s1600-h/2009-10-18+Pear.jpg


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## UglyBhamGuy (Oct 13, 2010)

Maybe Shinko?
http://www.davewilson.com/br40/br40_trees/asian_pears.html


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## closetwine (Oct 13, 2010)

I think Sirs got it... I looked at those but couldn't find a good pic to be sure.


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## pwrose (Oct 13, 2010)

Edit:
After looking up various orimental pears none of them get as big as the ones on this tree, and all of them are larger trees than this one.

I will keep looking but now I am not so sure.



*I do beleive Sirs has it.*

So now the next question I will ask and then head off to look for my own answer.

*Should I try to make a wine from them?*

If so then I own Sirs a bottle when its done.


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## winemaker_3352 (Oct 13, 2010)

I am not sure about pears - but had a patio peach tree - produced a lot of peaches - small peaches - about the size of a golf ball. By the time i destoned them - there wasn't much left. So i didn't bother anymore with them. It would have been a lot of work to get enough pounds to make some wine.

So i went out and bought some peaches for $.49 a pound


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## St Allie (Oct 13, 2010)

Have you got enough freezer space for them all?

If they are sweet enough at ripening you could also consider making a pear cider (hard or sparkling known as 'perry')

Allie


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## Sirs (Oct 13, 2010)

pwrose said:


> Edit:
> After looking up various orimental pears none of them get as big as the ones on this tree, and all of them are larger trees than this one.
> 
> I will keep looking but now I am not so sure.
> ...



I'd say go for it if need be wait till they start to fall from tree then grab and growl what can it hurt they do taste like pears only gritty, oh if it is the same ones I'm talking about they have plenty of acid


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## WaWa (Oct 14, 2010)

Looks like a Nashi to me ( japanese pear)


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## pwrose (Oct 14, 2010)

How big do Nashi pears get when full grown?
These pears (provided that is what they are) are small in size. Not as small as bradford or cleveland pears but small. In the pic you can see they are only a little over an inch long.
Most of the pears that I look up that are edible asian pears are much larger than these are. And the ornimental pears are all smaller than these are.


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## Arne (Oct 14, 2010)

Do you have a county ag. office? Take a sample of them down there if you do. Bring your pics too. See what they say. Arne.


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## pwrose (Oct 14, 2010)

I sent them to the local ag office via the neighbor that works there last night. I am hoping to find out something today.


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## Minnesotamaker (Oct 15, 2010)

pwrose said:


> ..... *Should I try to make a wine from them?*
> 
> If so then I own Sirs a bottle when its done......



In this situation, I think the first bottle needs to go to the mother-in-law. Then you sit back and observe to make sure it doesn't have any undesireable effects.


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## pwrose (Oct 15, 2010)

Minnesotamaker said:


> In this situation, I think the first bottle needs to go to the mother-in-law. Then you sit back and observe to make sure it doesn't have any undesireable effects.



This is a good idea, unfortunatly I would have to find another canidate that my mother-in-law. My brother-in-law would work, hes like mikey anyways, he will try anything, LOL.


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## ffemt128 (Oct 15, 2010)

Minnesotamaker said:


> In this situation, I think the first bottle needs to go to the mother-in-law. Then you sit back and observe to make sure it doesn't have any undesireable effects.



So in this case would the definition of Undesirable have a direct correlation to how well you liked your MIL?


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## Sirs (Oct 15, 2010)

hey all mother in laws aren't bad in fact my first one was a really good catch she was just abit old for me at the time LOL


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## WaWa (Oct 15, 2010)

pwrose said:


> How big do Nashi pears get when full grown?
> These pears (provided that is what they are) are small in size. Not as small as bradford or cleveland pears but small. In the pic you can see they are only a little over an inch long.
> Most of the pears that I look up that are edible asian pears are much larger than these are. And the ornimental pears are all smaller than these are.



Nashis are usually about the size of an apple, but those are the commercially grown ones, it's not unusual for a wild tree (of any sort) to produce smaller fruit
When Nashi are ripe they are incredibly juicy


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## pwrose (Oct 15, 2010)

The lady at the AG office said that it is in the ornimental pear family. However she said unless she could see the tree, leaves, and something else about it should could not properly identify the specific type. She did say that they would be bitter (they are), and that there really is nothing that could be done with them without a whole lot of trouble.

So making a wine from them is out for me, besides I also found out that because they are on the base where I work I could not pick them anyways.

So on to the next find, well when I find it I will let everyone know, LOL.


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## Minnesotamaker (Oct 17, 2010)

pwrose said:


> ....and that there really is nothing that could be done with them.......QUOTE]
> 
> They'd make quick and easy ammunition for the sling shot. They'd be hard enough to hurt but wouldn't kill you. Almost like getting shot with one of those police issue bean-bag shotguns.


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## Sirs (Oct 18, 2010)

trust me if they're the ones I think they are once frost hits them they'll get sweet almost nasty sweet but they turn to mush then also


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