Pear Varieties Growing Pears Nutrition All About Northwest Pears Of over 3,000 known pear varieties in the world, only a few are grown for commercial production, and those varieties differ throughout the world. USA Pears, which are those from Oregon and Washington, are the varieties that grow best in the Northwest, where ideal growing conditions exist. Plus, many other red varieties are becoming better known and more popular. Pears Are Nutritious Pears are loaded with dietary fiber, are good sources of potassium, and even with their abundant, naturally-sweet juices, average sized pears have only 100 calories.
Pears are one of the unique kinds of fruits that ripen best off of the tree.
If allowed to ripen before they are harvested, their smooth, delicate flesh often becomes 'gritty' with granules composed of cellulose, lignin and other organic material. However, Northwest Pears are picked fully mature, and ready to ripen when you buy them. Enjoy the full flavors and abundant juiciness of fresh pears by ripening them first. In North America, the first pear trees arrived with European settlers in the 1700's. If you have a question or comment, we would really like to hear from you.