The wild Pear is in no-doubt an archaeophyte in Britain. The three species of wild Pear we have in Britain:
Pear Pyrus communis L. - Fruit <(5)6cm, soft and sweet when mature, usually pear-shaped; non-spiny tree.
Wild pear Pyrus pyraster L. - Fruit <1.5-5cm, hardish when mature, round (apple-shaped); quite spiny tree.
Plymouth pear Pyrus cordata Desv. - Fruit <1.5(2)cm, hard and sour when mature, round (apple-shaped); very spiny, bushy tree.
All are frequently regarded as native, but more often P. communis is regarded as a wild, naturalised, denizen. Of the three species, I would say (speaking as a field botanist) that all three are non-native introductions, with the most recent arrival being P. communis, which may have arrived as late as the 11th century Normans. Pyrus pyraster has certainly been here for longer, as this occasionally turns-up in hedgerows far removed from domestic habitation and well away from public highways, and this was probably introduced during Roman times. None of the three species are in any way common, but the rarest, and the only British tree on the Red-list, schedule 8 protected tree species is that of the Plymouth pear Pyrus cordata Desv., for which Trebrown Nurseries is only nursery licenced to grow the Plymouth pear for its species recovery program in Devon & Cornwall.
Because the Plymouth pear Pyrus cordata cannot be traded, as its a schedule 8 protected species, we cannot sell you one. Therefore we give them away free of charge. However, you cannot handle this species yourself without holding a Natural England licence to do so. We’re always looking for new planting sites for its species recovery program in Devon & Cornwall. Therefore, if you feel you can provide such a site then please contact us via the Enquiry button.
The rules are:
The original rules for its species recovery program were - that it cannot be planted within 1 km of any other wild or domestic pear tree. For it could hybridize with it. However, finding a 1km square in Devon & Cornwall where there isn’t the potential for there being a garden with a pear tree in it is practically impossible. Therefore, we’ve changed this to – no other pear within ½ km, but in a site where there are obstructions to the flight-path of potential pollinator insects. For this we will need to carry out a survey, charged at cost, to make sure your site is suitable. If it's suitable we will plant at least 10 trees on your site. Suitable sites are on woodland margins; in a block within a field; or as part of a hedgerow. If it’s a hedgerow you will not be allowed to trim or flail that hedgerow, and the trees must be allowed to grow naturally.
It is also a requirement that we inform Natural England of all the new planting sites. Furthermore, we require access to the site for Devon & Cornwall botanists to monitor the progress of the trees.
