Bartlett Pear Tree

Bartlett is the world’s best-selling pear variety — and once you’ve picked one ripe from your own tree, you’ll understand exactly why. Known as the Williams pear in Europe, this American classic delivers large, golden-yellow fruit with smooth, firm flesh, a sweet fragrant flavor, and the kind of versatility that makes it equally at home in a fruit bowl, a canning jar, or a holiday dessert. Hardy in Zones 5–8 and easy to grow, it’s one of the most rewarding fruit trees you can plant.

The Pear That Does Everything

Bartlett’s flavor is often described as sweet with a hint of spice — rich, aromatic, and deeply satisfying. The fruit ripens to a warm golden yellow in late August, with occasional hints of red behind the skin. Eat them fresh, pair with cheese and charcuterie, bake into crisps and pies, fold into stuffings and roasted meats, or preserve a whole season’s worth through canning. Bartlett holds its shape and flavor exceptionally well when cooked or canned, which is exactly why it’s the pear of choice for home preservers and professional chefs alike.

A Tree With Remarkable Heritage

Bartlett pears arrived in the United States from Europe in the 1790s, grown and sold by a Massachusetts nurseryman named Enoch Bartlett — who gave the variety its American name. Today it remains the dominant pear variety grown commercially in California and the Pacific Northwest, a legacy that speaks to its consistently outstanding performance across generations of growers.

Why Growers Choose Bartlett

• World-class flavor — sweet, spicy, and aromatic with smooth, firm flesh
• Incredibly versatile — outstanding for fresh eating, canning, baking, and cooking
• Fast-growing tree — vigorous grower with beautiful white spring blossoms
• Excellent for preserving — holds shape and flavor through canning, freezing, and dehydrating
• Rich in nutrition — a good source of fiber, copper, and vitamins C and K

Pollination

Bartlett requires a compatible pollinator planted within 100 feet for fruit production. Note that Bartlett is not a suitable pollinator for Seckel pear trees.

Chill Hours

Bartlett requires approximately 800 chill hours, making it best suited for climates with reliably cold winters.