No. 013 · heirloom
Yellow Pear
Yellow Pear is an indeterminate heirloom cherry tomato with lemon fruit. It ripens in about 80 days.
Flavor
Described as mild and slightly sweet, low in acid, valued more for its looks and clusters than for a bold taste. Flavor is subjective, so treat this as the recurring catalog and grower description rather than a measured claim for your garden.
Origin
A very old open-pollinated heirloom dating to at least the early 1600s, long grown in Europe and early America and used for preserves and pickling.
What it does well
- Very heavy yields in long clusters
- Distinctive pear shape adds color to salads
- Vigorous and long-bearing until frost
Where it frustrates
- Mild flavor that some find bland
- Tall sprawling vines need sturdy support
- Keeps producing late, so it needs season-long staking
Growing it
- Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.
- Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
- Generally forgiving and beginner-friendly to grow.
- One of our picks for the cold, short-season gardens of New England.
Disease resistance
An heirloom, sold without formal disease-resistance codes.
Why no hardiness zone?
Tomatoes are warm-season annuals, so variety choice comes down to days to maturity and your local frost dates.
Like Yellow Pear, but...
Sold out, or after a change? The closest alternatives, and how they differ.
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Where to buy seed
Related reading
Common questions
- Is Yellow Pear determinate or indeterminate?
- Yellow Pear is an indeterminate variety. Indeterminate vine. It keeps growing and setting fruit right up to frost, so plan on a tall stake or cage and regular pruning through the season.
- How long does Yellow Pear take to ripen?
- Yellow Pear ripens in about 80 days from transplant. Mid-season timing, ripening around 70 to 80 days from transplant.
- Is Yellow Pear an heirloom or a hybrid?
- Yellow Pear is an heirloom, an open-pollinated variety with a documented history, so seed saved from it comes back true to type.
- What can I grow instead of Yellow Pear?
- A close swap is Sungold, but mild and low-acid, not intensely sweet.
Sources
- Yellow Pear Tomato (Heirloom, 80 Days) · Pinetree Garden Seeds
- Yellow Pear Tomato · John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds
- Yellow Pear Tomato Seeds · Monticello
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