States
North CarolinaTennesseeGeorgiaSouth CarolinaKentuckyAlabamaFloridaVirginia
Menu

Common Pear

Pyrus communis

Found in planted, persistent around old houses and in orchards. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

—
Not native

Not native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height
40–50 feet
Spread
25–35 feet
Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry to average
See native alternatives

Plant this instead

Choose your county to list local plants first.

  • Blackjack Oak
    Quercus marilandica

    Sun: Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow or green.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

  • Bluejack Oak
    Quercus incana

    Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Dry to somewhat dry. Flowers: Yellow or green.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

  • Bluff Oak
    Quercus austrina

    Sun: Full sun. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Brown/copper or yellow.

    Similar growth form, height, spread

Refine these alternatives in the finder

Check a whole list of plants

At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
April
Fruiting season
August to October

Recorded in 7 Florida counties.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

74CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Pyrus

  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
  • Acrobasis vacciniiCranberry Fruitworm
  • Acronicta clarescensClear Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Amyelois transitellaNavel Orangeworm
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
Show all 74
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips griseaGray Archips
  • Archips semiferanusOak Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Balsa malanaMany-Dotted Balsa, Many-Dotted Appleworm
  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
  • Catocala crataegiHawthorne Underwing, Thorn Underwing
  • Catocala gryneaWoody Underwing
  • Catocala ultroniaUltronia Underwing
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
  • Cerma cerinthaTufted Bird-Dropping Moth, Cherry Agate
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Dasychira meridionalisSouthern Tussock Moth
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
  • Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
  • Eulithis diversilineataLesser Grapevine Looper Moth
  • Eumarozia malachitanaSculptured Moth
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
  • Haploa colonaColona Moth
  • Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
  • Hedya chionosemaTwin-Spotted Budworm, White-Spotted Hedya
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
  • Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
  • Limenitis archippusViceroy
  • Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
  • Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
  • Parornix geminatellaUnspotted Leaf Miner, Unspotted Tentiform Leafminer
  • Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
  • Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
  • Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
  • Platynota rostranaOmnivorous Platynota
  • Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Pyrausta phoenicealisPhoenicean Pyrausta, Perilla Leafroller
  • Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Synanthedon pictipesLesser Peachtree Borer Moth
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
  • Blastobasis quaintancella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
4BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Pyrus

  • Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
  • Catharus fuscescensVeery
  • Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
  • Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Rosaceae
Hardiness
Zones 4a–8b
Soil pH
Neutral
Flower color
Yellow or white
Growth rate
Rapid
Growth habit
Single stem
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
August
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “April” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Flower color · “Yellow or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
  • Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “August” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Fruit ends · “October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
  • Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Hardiness · “Zones 4a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Height · “40–50 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
  • Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Soil · “Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Soil pH · “Neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Spread · “25–35 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

Florida rankSNA
Global rankG5
FL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources