Pears

Pears are pome fruits produced by plants of the genus Pyrus, with the common European pear being Pyrus communis and Asian pears belonging to Pyrus pyrifolia. Generally, European pears are bell-shaped with soft, buttery flesh when ripe, while Asian pears are round with crisp, crunchy flesh, and a great many cultivars are grown commercially across temperate regions. They are a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin C, and potassium, and they are eaten fresh or canned, used as dessert fruits, cooked in preserves, or juiced. Harvested mature but unripe, European pears need careful ripening off the tree, while their thin skins demand gentle handling to avoid bruising.