Help us save the Plymouth pear

The genus Pyrus consists of about 25 species, commonly known as pear, and found in western Europe and across Asia to China and Japan.

Introducing Plymouth pear, one of Britain’s rarest trees

Plymouth pear (Pyrus cordata) is a wild hedgerow relative of the domestic pear, and puts on an exuberant display of white flowers in late April and early May.

It rarely bears its small brownish-red fruits, which produce very little viable seed due to an in-built control mechanism to stop inbreeding (called self-incompatibility), and as a result has become one of Britain’s rarest trees.

Plymouth pear is smaller than its more common relative, the wild pear, and can be distinguished by its purplish twigs (instead of grey-brown).

The plant is restricted to western Europe with populations in the UK, France, particularly in Brittany, and the north-western regions of Spain and Portugal.

The wild UK population survives in just two hedgerows, but is thought to have originally been a widespread component of mixed deciduous woodlands.

In the shaded conditions in which it grows this plant reproduces by suckering. When the tree receives enough light it does flower and bear fruit.

A group of Plymouth pear trees at Wakehurst, home to Kew's Millennium Seed Bank

How Kew's work is making a difference

Kew first became involved in the conservation of the Plymouth pear (Pyrus cordata) in 1879 when a plant was added to the Arboretum after its discovery in Britain in 1865.

Almost exactly 100 years later, due to the partial destruction of one of its habitats, two more young trees were planted at Kew Gardens.

Later, more trees were planted near Kew's Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, West Sussex.

The conservation work on this species may take many decades until these long-lived, woody perennials become ‘self-sustaining’.

Combining Kew’s scientific and horticultural skills with the ambition, expertise and co-operation of its partners will hopefully reverse the decline of this unique British native tree.

Help Kew save plants for our future

You can adopt this seed for yourself, or as a gift for £25.

When you Adopt a Seed, you'll receive a personalised certificate, featuring your plant species, as a downloadable PDF document you can print off, and regular updates over the year from the Millennium Seed Bank.

For an additional £2, you can have an Adoption Pack posted (either to you, or direct to a gift recipient) featuring a certificate and a full colour picture of your species (UK only). 

Adopt this seed now