Concorde is without doubt one of the best pears for the UK. It is a fairly new variety, but combines the strengths of two classic 19th century varieties. From Conference it inherits reliability, cropping potential, and excellent suitability for the UK climate. From Doyenne du Comice it inherits top quality flavour. The result is a pear that has both an excellent flavour and yet grows well in the sometimes marginal conditions of an English summer.
The fruit is very similar to Conference in appearance, tall and pear shaped with extensive russet. The skin colour is variable, normally a yellow-cream colour but it may sometimes be flushed from exposure to sunlight.
**All prices include delivery (except certain fan-trained or espalier-trained trees). We offer a discount on orders of multiple bare-root trees for delivery at the same time - this will be shown at the checkout.
Fan-trained and Espalier trees: Prices of these trees do NOT include delivery as these require special delivery arrangements - click here for details.
Delivery period: Pot-grown trees can be delivered from September onwards. Bare-root trees can be delivered from mid-November onwards. Within those periods you can specify your preferred month of delivery during the checkout process. It is best to order as soon as you can to ensure items are reserved for you.
*Mature heights: Height shown is the approximate height of the tree when mature (after 5-10 years), not the height when supplied. See photos of trees as supplied. Actual mature heights may vary considerably dependent on your local conditions and training and pruning regime.
Stock availability: Items showing as 'sold out' will probably be available again next season. If you would like to reserve in advance use our enquiry form - this does not commit you to anything.
Concorde is partially self-fertile, but fruiting will be improved if there is a compatible tree of a different variety nearby.
Our online pollination checker lists suitable pollination partners for this variety.
More advice about pollination.
Concorde produces a compact upright tree.
Like all pears it can be difficult to tell ripeness on the tree, but if you lift and twist gently and the fruit comes away then it will be ready to pick. However leave the pears in a fruit bowl for a few days, until they become a golden yellow colour - at this point they should be ripe and ready to eat.
Concorde is particularly suited to organic growing regimes, as it has some scab resistance.
Concorde is usually considered self-fertile, but in practice it performs much better if there is a compatible pollinator nearby and is best treated as being partially self-fertile.
Planting instructions.
Pruning instructions.
Concorde was developed at the East Malling Research Station in the UK, in the 1970s. It is a cross betweeen Conference and Doyenne du Comice.
