Spring / Summer 2025Pre-order now for delivery September onwards.
Tel. 01759 392007

Black Worcester pear trees

Pyrus communis
Black Worcester pear pears
Black Worcester is listed in the RHS Plants for Pollinators
  • Picking season: Very late
  • Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
  • Flowering group: 3

Black Worcester is probably the oldest English pear still in use. It can be traced back to the early 16th century, and is probably much older than that.

Black Worcester pre-dates the trend towards the Continental sweet buttery-fleshed pears that became popular in Victorian England. Instead the flesh remains hard, more like an apple, and is interspersed with gritty flecks. It sounds somewhat off-putting, but don't worry - this is not a pear you eat fresh, but rather one for the kitchen. Slow cooking transforms the fruits, and this is the definitive choice for traditional English stewed pears.

Black Worcester is also quite widely known as the Warden pear, although this is probably an old English term used to describe any long-keeping culinary pear.

Black Worcester pear trees for sale

Pot-grown

All our pot-grown trees are grown for us to our specification by the Frank P Matthews nursery.

All pot-grown trees are suitable for planting out in the garden, some are suitable for growing in containers.

  • PG1Premium half-standard 12L pot-grown tree Quince A rootstock£63.50
    Grown for us by Frank P Matthews nursery
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)

Bare-root

  • BR11-year bare-root treeQuince A rootstock£38.25
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
  • BR21-year bare-root treePyrodwarf rootstock£40.50
    Large tree (3m-5m after 10 years)
  • BR31-year bare-root treePyrus c. Kirchensaller rootstock£38.25
    Very large tree (4m-7m after 10 years)
  • BR42-year (1.75m) bare-root treePyrus c. Kirchensaller rootstock£49.00
    Very large tree (4m-7m after 10 years)

Need help? Ask our fruit tree experts

Call us on 01759 392007 or fill in our contact form.

Tree specification

Photos of trees as supplied | Tree sizes and forms

Pre-ordering

Pre-order now for delivery in September 2025

Delivery charges

Delivery for a single tree starts at £9.95, it is calculated based on your postcode.

Growing and Training

Like many ancient fruit varieties, Black Worcester is easy to grow and relatively untroubled by the usual pear diseases.

Pick the pears in the middle / end of October, and store in a cold garage or fridge. Unlike more modern pears, they will readily keep for a couple of months.

Recommended pollinators for Black Worcester pear trees

Black Worcester is not self-fertile and is also a poor pollinator of other varieties. Ideally you need two other different but compatible varieties planted nearby in order to produce fruit, or one compatible self-fertile variety. The following varieties are good pollinators for Black Worcester. If you are not sure about pollination requirements don't hesitate to ask us. More pollinators >

  • Pollinator Beth
    Beth
    An easy and reliable early-season pear, with a very good melting flavour.
  • Pollinator Conference
    Conference
    Conference is a popular and reliable English pear, well-suited to the UK climate.
  • Pollinator Gin
    Gin
    A rare English perry pear variety with good disease resistance and medium acid and tannins.
  • Pollinator Moonglow
    Moonglow
    A high quality early season dessert and culinary pear, very resistant to fireblight.
  • Pollinator Sensation
    Sensation
    A red-coloured sport of the popular Williams pear, with a similar good flavour.
  • Pollinator Thorn
    Thorn
    An ancient pear variety from Gloucestershire, now used mainly for perry production.
  • Pollinator Williams
    Williams
    Williams is a classic English pear, also known as Bartlett, with good flavour and quite easy to grow.
  • Pollinator Winnals Longdon
    Winnals Longdon
    A traditional Herefordshire perry pear variety, produces a low tannin perry.

History

The origins of Black Worcester are not certain, but it was known in the early 16th century, and famously appears on the coat of arms of the city of Worcester.

Coat of Arms of the city of Worcester, showing the Black Worcester pears


Black Worcester characteristics

Growing

  • Gardening skillAverage
  • Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
  • Flowering group3
  • Pollinating othersPoor
  • Fruit bearingSpur-bearer
  • Climate suitabilityTemperate climatesWarm climates

Using

  • Picking seasonVery late
  • CroppingHeavy
  • Keeping (of fruit)1-2 months
  • Food usesCulinary

Problems

  • Disease resistanceGood
  • Scab (Apple and Pear)Some resistance

Identification

  • Country of originUnited Kingdom
  • Period of origin1550 - 1599
  • Blossom colourWhite
  • Fruit colourRed - dark

Similar varieties

  • See also Cornishgold
    Cornishgold
    An unusual and ancient juicing and culinary pear discovered in a garden in Cornwall, also known as the Treburrow Pear. Self-fertile and tolerant of difficult climates.

British-grown trees Trees grown in the UK.

Unlike many garden centres and online retailers, the vast majority of our fruit trees are grown in the UK. Find out more.

In addition, all our trees are certified under the Plant Healthy scheme, supervised by the Plant Health Alliance. Other stakeholders include Defra and the RHS. The scheme aims to improve UK biosecurity by setting standards for all growers and retailers involved in selling plants in the UK. Find out more.

Guaranteed fruit trees

When you buy your fruit tree from Orange Pippin Fruit Trees we guarantee it for the first season in your garden while it gets established. If it doesn't grow successfully, we'll either replace it the following season or offer a refund, subject to some conditions. Find out more.


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