Starking® Hardy Giant™ Asian Pear Tree

Starking® Hardy Giant™ is the Asian pear that lives up to its name in every possible way. A Stark Bro’s exclusive originating from Korea in 1969, it produces enormous pears — 12 to 15 ounces each — with crisp, juicy, sweet flesh and exceptional storage life of up to nine months in refrigeration. Declared the favorite fruit of Stark Bro’s President and chosen as a Stark Pick, it’s been called the best late-season Asian pear available. Hardy to Zone 4 and easy to grow, it’s one of the most rewarding pear trees in our entire catalog.

A Pear Unlike Anything Else — In Size and Flavor

Asian pears are already distinctive for their crisp, apple-like texture and juicy sweetness that sets them apart from European varieties — and Starking® Hardy Giant™ takes those qualities to an extreme. Each round, russeted, fawn-brown pear weighs a generous 12 to 15 ounces, delivering a satisfying, crisp bite with clean, sweet flavor right off the tree. No ripening off the tree required — Asian pears are ready to eat the moment they’re harvested in October.

Nine Months of Storage — Extraordinary Keeping Quality

Starking® Hardy Giant™ is one of the longest-storing pear varieties available, keeping up to nine months under proper refrigeration while maintaining its crisp texture and flavor. A single October harvest can supply fresh, homegrown Asian pears from fall all the way through the following summer — a remarkable quality that few fruit trees can match.

Cold Hardy, Disease Resistant, and Easy to Grow

Declared one of the easiest fruit trees you can grow, Starking® Hardy Giant™ is cold hardy to Zone 4 and resistant to pear leaf spot, making it a reliable, low-maintenance addition to the home orchard. Its early bloom time and consistent heavy production make it a dependable performer season after season.

Why Growers Choose Starking® Hardy Giant™

• A Stark Bro’s exclusive and Stark Pick — the favorite fruit of Stark Bro’s President
• Enormous fruit — 12–15 ounces per pear, among the largest Asian pears available
• Up to 9 months of storage — exceptional keeping quality through proper refrigeration
• Ready to eat at harvest — no off-tree ripening needed, unlike European pears
• Cold hardy to Zone 4 — reliable performance in challenging northern climates
• Resistant to pear leaf spot — low-maintenance and dependable season after season
• Originating from Korea, 1969 — a proven variety with over 50 years of performance