Gorham
Gorham is a high quality American pear, but with an all European-ancestry. Its juicy melting flesh is very typical of the best European pears of the 19th century, and it is related to both the English Williams pear and Belgian Josephine de Malines.
Gorham can perhaps best be considered an improved Williams pear. From Josephine de Malines it gets better keeping qualities and an improved flavour (even though Williams is already well-regarded for flavour).
Like Williams, Gorham is versatile - as well as being a superb dessert pear, it is also useful for cooking and bottling.
Pyrus communis
Gorham pear trees for sale
11-year maiden bare-root
tree
33.45€
Quince A rootstock
Large size (3m-4m after 10 years)
Out of stock
21-year maiden bare-root
tree
33.45€
Pyrodwarf rootstock
Large size (3m-4m after 10 years)
Out of stock
Next deliveries
Deliveries now finished
How to grow
Gorham is a high quality American pear, but with an all European-ancestry. Its juicy melting flesh is very typical of the best European pears of the 19th century, and it is related to both the English Williams pear and Belgian Josephine de Malines.
Gorham can perhaps best be considered an improved Williams pear. From Josephine de Malines it gets better keeping qualities and an improved flavour (even though Williams is already well-regarded for flavour).
Like Williams, Gorham is versatile - as well as being a superb dessert pear, it is also useful for cooking and bottling.
History
Being an American pear with a European pedigree, it is perhaps no surprise that Gorham does best in dry sunny climates. It should perform well in the south-east of the UK, but elsewhere be sure to choose a sunny spot, preferably in front of a south-facing wall.
Gorham also has a very good level of disease-resistance, and its excellent pedigree ensures it is a good and reliable cropper.
The fruit size is relatively large by pear standards - provided you thin the fruitlets in late spring.
Gorham characteristics
- Gardening skillAverage
- Self-fertilitySelf-fertile
- Flowering group4
- Pollinating othersAverage
- PloidyDiploid
- Bearing regularityRegular
- Fruit bearingSpur-bearer
- Picking seasonMid
- CroppingGood
- Keeping1-2 months
- Useful forEating freshCulinary
- Disease resistanceGood
- ScabVery resistant
- FireblightSome susceptibility
- MildewSome resistance
- Climate typeTemperate climatesWarm climates
- Summer average maximum temperaturesWarm (25-30C / 76-85F)
- Country of originUnited States
- Period of origin1900 - 1949
- Flower colourWhite
- Fruit colourGreen / Yellow
- Fruit sizeLarge
- AwardsRHS Award of Garden Merit
