Variety: Doyenné du Comice, the connoisseur's dessert pear Latin name: Pyrus communis 'Doyenné du Comice' Fruit: Large, pale yellow with russeting and a rosy flush Harvest: Late October to November, picked hard; pears ripen off the tree Use: Eating Pollination: Group D, needs a partner in group C or D (but not Onward) Rootstock: Quince A (semi-vigorous) Mature size: 3–4m as a bush Position: Full sun and shelter; a warm wall suits it perfectly Soil: Rich, deep and well-drained RHS AGM: Yes Sold as: Bareroot Maiden, Bush or Half-Standard, plus a 10L potted bush Delivered: Bareroot November–April; potted per availability. Collection from Castle Cary also available The classic late dessert pear: very sweet, very juicy, and with a little planning it gives you ripe pears on Christmas Day. Comice Pears: The Connoisseur's Dessert Pear Doyenné du Comice is a large, pale yellow dessert pear with smooth, juicy, melting flesh, picked hard in late October and November and ripened indoors. It holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit, and among the classic pears it is the one growers and cooks still measure the others against. The skin often takes a little russeting and sometimes a rosy flush where the sun caught it. The tree is vigorous, upright and heavy cropping on Quince A roots, making a manageable garden tree of 3–4m rather than an orchard giant. It flowers late, which takes it past the worst of the spring frosts, and it repays a warm, sheltered spot: the traditional trick is a sunny wall, where the extra warmth ripens the wood and sweetens the crop. Where Doyenné du Comice Comes From Comice was raised in the garden of the Comice Horticole at Angers in the Loire around 1849 and reached Britain within a decade. It has been the benchmark ever since, and two of the best modern pears were bred from it: Onward and Concorde both carry its flavour. Pollination Partners for Comice Comice sits in pollination group D and needs a second pear in the same or a neighbouring group to set fruit. The one exception is its own offspring Onward, which flowers alongside it but will not cross with it. Reliable partners from our range include Conference and the late keeper Winter Nelis, and our guide to pollinating pear trees lists the rest. Every pear here is grafted onto quince roots, so if the rootstock story interests you, our quince trees are the fruiting side of the same family. Why Buy Your Pear Tree from Ashridge? Your Comice is field grown specifically for us and lifted fresh to order in the bareroot season. Maidens are pre-pruned before despatch for the shape you have chosen, so the first formative cut is already made. We were voted Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025, and we have been growing and selling plants since 1949. Frequently Asked Questions What pollinates Doyenné du Comice? Any pear in pollination group C or D flowering nearby, except Onward. Conference is the easiest choice because it crops reliably itself and flowers at the right time; Winter Nelis and Concorde also work well. When do I pick Comice pears? Pick Comice hard and still green in late October or November, when the fruit parts from the spur with a gentle lift. Pears ripened fully on the tree turn gritty, so the picking date matters more than the colour. How do I ripen Comice pears indoors? Store the picked fruit somewhere cold and bring a few at a time into a warm room, where they ripen in about two days. Staggered like this, one November picking gives you perfect pears through December, including Christmas Day. Where in Britain does Comice grow best? Comice does best in the drier East of Britain because it is susceptible to scab, which thrives in wet western summers, while its good mildew resistance suits eastern gardens. In the West, give it your sunniest, airiest spot. Can I train Comice against a wall? Yes, and a warm south or west wall is the classic home for Comice. It is a spur-bearer, so it takes happily to espalier and cordon training, and the reflected warmth improves both crop and flavour.
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