Pyrus amygdaliformis - almond pear (forest alveolus)

Genus of about 30 species of erect trees and shrubs, mostly deciduous, present in woods, rocky places and on hilly slopes in Europe, Asia from west to east and northern Africa. The Pyrus amygdaliformis is a small deciduous tree up to 5-7 meters tall but bushy in shape with numerous branches, sometimes thorny. The alternate leaves, oblong-lanceolate with entire margins, are dark green on the upper surface and tending towards glaucous on the lower one. In spring, before the leaves fully appear, numerous creamy white flowers appear, gathered in small apical inflorescences. The fruits are small, rounded, bronze-green pears, with a sour and tasty flavour.

Pedoclimatic needs

Typical element of the Mediterranean scrub, it grows in open sunny places. It prefers fresh, deep, clayey or medium-textured soil but without stagnation. Rustic species, it resists cold and frost down to -15°/-18°C, but is also very resistant to heat and drought and is able to colonize even poor and stony soil. This very long-lived species is frequently used by farmers as a rootstock for fruiting pear trees. Little used as an ornamental species, it should instead have greater use as a decorative tree for parks and small gardens.

Botanical Information

Botanical Name: Pyrus amygdaliformis

Family: Rosaceae