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Item Number: FT387

Big Brown Pear Tree

Rare heirloom pear with unmatched flavor.

$89.99
/each
Buy More, Save More Pricing applied at checkout
3 +
$80.99 each Save $27.00 total Save $27.00
10% off
10 +
$76.49 each Save $135.00 total Save $135.00
15% off
New item Professionally Pruned 5 star service badge Trusted since 1976 badge Collector tree trust badge Buy 6 qualifying bare root trees and receive free standard shipping in the Lower 48

Check Your Zone Compatibility:

Description

Big Brown Pear Tree is a rare Sierra foothill discovery with a rugged exterior and unexpectedly refined eating quality. Its large fruit develops substantial brown skin that gives it an unmistakably old-world appearance, while the flesh offers the sweetness, juice, and texture that brought this unidentified survivor to the attention of the Felix Gillet Institute. The original cultivar name has been lost, turning every propagated tree into part of an ongoing preservation story. Rather than offering the visual uniformity of a supermarket pear, Big Brown carries the character of an antique farm orchard and the resilience of a tree selected by time. It is an appealing choice for gardeners who enjoy unusual fruit, regional history, and the possibility of helping conserve genetics that might otherwise disappear. Spring bloom and a substantial harvest add beauty and productivity to that larger purpose.

Big Brown is suited to USDA zones 5–9 and has a confirmed 700–900 chill-hour requirement. This standard tree grows on OHxF333 rootstock and generally ripens in October. Plant in full sun with well-drained soil, provide deep irrigation during establishment, and prune to develop a strong framework capable of carrying large fruit.

Big Brown requires another compatible European pear for pollination. Confirmed partners include Bosc, Comice, and Bartlett.

Big Brown Pear Tree Details

  • Fruit: Large heirloom pears with rugged brown skin
  • Flavor and texture: Sweet, juicy, and richly pear-like
  • Best uses: Fresh eating, cooking, preservation, and heritage tasting
  • Harvest: October, with timing varying by region and season
  • USDA zones: 5–9
  • Chill hours: 700–900 hours
  • Tree size: Standard on OHxF333 rootstock
  • Rootstock: OHxF333
  • Pollination: Requires another compatible European pear
  • Recommended pollinizers: Bosc, Comice, or Bartlett
  • Special care: Build strong scaffolds and thin clusters to support the large fruit
  • Something Special: The unidentified mother tree was rediscovered in Nevada County by the Felix Gillet Institute.

Orchard Planning Resources

Bare Root Tree Savings & Free Shipping

Build your orchard and save by mixing and matching eligible bare root trees across qualifying varieties:

  • Buy 3 qualifying bare root trees and save 5%
  • Buy 10 qualifying bare root trees and save 15%
  • Buy 6 qualifying bare root trees and receive free standard shipping

Ordering fewer than six trees? Orders of one to five qualifying bare root trees ship for a $29.99 fixed rate by FedEx or UPS.

Eligible trees may be combined within the BareRoot Trees shipping group. Potted plants, perennial bare roots, and fall perennials are tracked in separate shipping groups and do not count toward these thresholds.

Free standard and fixed-rate shipping offers apply to qualifying deliveries within the contiguous 48 states. USPS and expedited delivery are charged separately. Manufacturer-direct, dropship, and specially packaged products are excluded unless otherwise stated.

See complete shipping details.

Shipping Information

Ships from Northern CA.

Cannot ship to the following states: HI, AK, PR, GU, VI

Shipping Weight: 5.0 lb

Dimensions: 47.5"L x 2.75"W x 7.3"H

Features

  • Bare Root
  • Flavor Pick
  • Good Keeper
  • Requires pollinator
  • Suited to Cold Climates
  • Suited to Warmer Climates

Characteristics

USDA Growing Zone: 5 - 9
Approximate Harvest Time : Early Fall
Chill Hours Needed : 700-900 hours
Planting Time : Winter
Time to Fruit Production : 2-3 Years
Tree Size : Standard

Planting & Care

Useful Information

Guarantee

Limited Dormant Tree & Plant Guarantee

* Claim deadline is June 15th

We guarantee that your dormant tree or plant will arrive in good, viable condition. If your tree arrives in substandard condition, notify us within 3 days of delivery. Please email pictures of the box, inside packaging, the tree and its roots to helpdesk@groworganic.com.  For qualifying claims involving perishable items that arrive in substandard condition, we will provide a refund of the affected item’s purchase price, excluding shipping costs. At our discretion, we may offer a replacement instead, subject to product availability and shipping feasibility. You may accept the replacement (if we are able to offer one) or receive the refund.

If your dormant tree or plant has not grown new leaves by May 15th, you may be eligible for our Limited Dormant Tree & Plant Guarantee. This guarantee provides for a store credit for the purchase price of the tree, excluding shipping. Please see the Instructions below.

Important Dates:

All dormant-tree and plant guarantee deadlines apply in the calendar year you receive your order. Plant by April 1. If no new leaves have appeared by May 15, contact Customer Service for assessment. Submit your claim and all required documentation by June 15 of that same year.

  • April 1st Dormant trees/plants must be planted in the ground
  • May 15th Contact Customer Service for assessment if no new leaves have grown
  • June 15th Deadline to apply for a dormant tree/plant credit

All required documentation must be received by June 15th for your claim to be considered. Claims or documentation received after June 15th will be denied, without exception. Instructions listed below

Terms and Conditions

We cannot guarantee that your tree or plant will remain alive and healthy after it is received, or bear fruit as there are too many variables in your environment that are beyond our control (i.e. soil preparation, weed and pest control, proper irrigation, chill hours, compatible hardiness for your growing zone, proper choice of pollinator, extreme weather, rodent damage, disease, etc.). 

We cannot guarantee that we will be able to provide a replacement tree/plant of the same species either that same growing season or in future years. Customers are responsible for all shipping fees associated with replacement trees and plants. 

If we determine that the tree you purchased directly from us is not viable, we will issue you a store credit (not a refund) for the purchase price of the affected dormant tree or plant. Shipping is not included in the dormant tree/plant guarantee. Store credits can be used to purchase any product we sell. Store credit issued under the Dormant Tree & Plant Guarantee expires on July 1 of the calendar year following delivery. Previously issued credits retain their original terms.

Historically, 98% of our dormant trees and plants grow and thrive when they have been cared for and planted using our growing guides. Dormant trees and plants must be planted in the ground by April 1st in order to be eligible for credit. If the ground in your area is still frozen solid, you may temporarily plant your tree or plant in a pot. 

Potted, non-dormant trees or plants are excluded from this guarantee as they are not dormant at the time of shipment. Evergreen trees such as citrus, avocado and olive trees are not available for credit under the Dormant Tree and Plant Guarantee. 

Instructions

We guarantee that your dormant fruit tree or plant will leaf out, if you care for it according to our growing guides. In the unlikely event that your dormant tree or plant does not have leaves by May 15th, follow these simple steps to apply for a store credit:

Contact Customer Service with your order number, the plant name, the quantity affected, and photos of the entire plant and visible affected areas. Do not dig up a planted tree or plant for this initial review. Our team may request additional photos or guide you through a scratch test or root inspection when needed to evaluate your claim. All applicable guarantee deadlines still apply.

Green Cambium Layer / Living Trees

If the cambium layer under the bark is green, give your tree a little more time. It is still alive, but hasn’t come out of dormancy yet. Check to make sure that it is getting the right amount of deep root water, enough sunlight and that the weather is warm enough for that type of tree/plant to come out of dormancy. Every tree has its own personality and will come out of dormancy at different times. Be sure to submit the required documentation listed below by June 15th, if it doesn’t grow leaves.

Brown Cambium Layer / Dead Trees

If the scratch test shows a brown cambium layer or if your dormant tree/plant doesn’t have leaves by May 15th, please email us at helpdesk@groworganic.com. All required documentation listed below must be received by June 15th for your claim to be considered. To be considered for the guarantee claim, all required documentation must be received by June 15th.  Incomplete submissions will be denied.

Required Documentation

  1. Order number
  2. Name of dormant tree/plant and the quantity affected
  3. Photos of each tree or plant showing: 
    1. Visible affected areas; additional root inspection photos only if requested by our team
    2. The scratch test areas, only if our team requests a scratch test
    3. The entire tree/plant

We reserve the right to not issue credit for items that have already been replaced. We also reserve the right to require photographic evidence that the tree/plant was not killed by root rot, rodent or mechanical damage.

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