Fragrant Pears

The Fragrant pear has been cultivated in the Xinjiang province of China for over 1300 years. It was only introduced to the rest of the world in 2006. Grown along the Silk Road, these pears are considered the finest in the area and are more expensive than most grown in surrounding China, Japan or Korea. The pears are grown in the city of Korla, which is the largest city in Western China. Farmers there use air guns to remove dirt, insects or debris from the pears and gently wrap them in tissue and foam net for their journey across the world. An Oregon farmer brought a cutting back from China in 2004 and has tried growing the pears in the Hood River valley, with unknown results.