Pear Winter Pear Michurin

This winter variety was obtained by I. V. Michurin through crossing wild Ussuri pear with the French variety 'Bere Royale'. It has lost its commercial significance due to the development of new varieties, remaining only in old orchards and not propagated by nurseries. It was registered for cultivation in the Central Chernozem and Lower Volga regions.

The tree is large, grows rapidly, with a broad-pyramidal, spreading crown.

Shoots are curved, slightly bent, light green, slightly hairy at the tips. Leaves are egg-shaped, yellowish-green with a grayish tint, apex acute, base wedge-shaped, blade moderately folded, curved, margin serrated, stipules lanceolate.

Fruits are medium-sized, short-pear-shaped, sometimes asymmetric. Skin is slightly rough. Main color at harvest is light green, with a small, hazy blush. During storage, fruits turn yellow and develop a diffuse, strong blush. Fruit stem is thick.

Flesh is white, fairly juicy, slightly astringent, somewhat coarse. Fruit contains 10.5% sugars, 0.2% titratable acids, and 217 mg/100g of P-active substances.

Harvest ripeness occurs at the end of September.

Fruits can be stored until March. Yield is high, with a clearly expressed high degree of self-fertility. Winter hardiness is moderate, with high resistance to scab; however, in epidemic years, light scab damage is observed.

Advantages of the variety: high yield, resistance to scab, long storage life of fruits.

Disadvantages of the variety: late fruiting onset, low fruit flavor.

Widely used in breeding for developing varieties with extended consumption periods; over 50 varieties have been developed using this variety, including 'Marble', 'Leninakan Late', 'Parshin's Memory', 'Victory', 'Elena', and others.