Pear Moonglow Dwarf

Moonglow Pear

Pyrus communis ‘Moonglow’
Dwarf Moonglow Pear

‘Moonglow’ is a productive deciduous fruit tree and European pear cultivar known for white spring flowers, glossy green foliage, and large yellow to yellow-green pears with a mild, sweet flavor. It is valued as a dependable home-orchard pear because it bears well, has good fruit quality, and is strongly associated with fire blight resistance, one of the most important disease concerns for pears. Gardenia notes that ‘Moonglow’ was developed by the USDA in the 1960s and is an upright, vigorous cultivar with very good fire blight resistance.

Type: Deciduous fruit tree / dwarf European pear
Mature Size: 8–10 ft. wide × 10–15 ft. tall as a dwarf; size varies by rootstock and pruning
USDA Zones: 5a–8b
Form: Upright, compact to rounded fruit tree
Light: Full sun
Soil / Water: Fertile, loamy, well-drained soil; average moisture during establishment and fruit sizing; avoid wet, poorly drained sites
Bloom Time / Length: Early to mid spring; fragrant creamy-white flowers appear before or with new foliage.
Fruit Time: Late summer to early fall; fruit is commonly harvested firm and ripened off the tree for best eating quality
Wildlife: Flowers attract bees and other pollinating insects; ripe or dropped fruit may attract birds, deer, squirrels, raccoons, and other wildlife

Features & Landscape Uses:
Excellent for small orchards, edible landscapes, backyard fruit gardens, espalier, sunny borders, and disease-resistant pear plantings. ‘Moonglow’ is especially useful where a pear with better fire blight resistance is wanted. The fruit is good for fresh eating, canning, baking, preserves, and pear sauce. Missouri Botanical Garden also lists ‘Moonglow’ as resistant to fire blight.

Care:
Plant in full sun with good air circulation. Prune annually during dormancy to maintain a strong central leader or open framework, control height, and encourage fruiting spurs. Avoid excess nitrogen, because overly vigorous pear growth can increase fire blight risk. Thin fruit if crops are heavy to improve fruit size and reduce branch stress. Monitor for pear psylla, codling moth, scab, rust, and leaf spot.

Pollination:
Not reliably self-fertile; plant with another compatible European pear for best fruit production. Good partners commonly include ‘Bartlett,’ ‘Kieffer,’ ‘Anjou,’ ‘Bosc,’ ‘Comice,’ or ‘Seckel’ if bloom times overlap.

Chill Requirement:
Commonly listed around 500–700 chill hours, depending on source and nursery strain.

Plant type

Fruit Tree

Height

10-15'

Width

8-10'

Hardiness zones

5–8

Sunlight

Full Sun

Growth rate

Moderate

Bloom time

Spring

Flower color

Yellow

Leaf color

Green

Fall color

Red

Attracts

Bees, Butterflies

Soil

Moist well-drained, Rich

Landscape use

Accent Plant, Fruit, Home Orchard

Shape

Compact, Rounded, Upright

Fruit

Yes

Fragrant

Yes

Drought tolerant

No