Common Pear

Pyrus communis

Found in planted, persistent around old houses and in orchards. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to West Virginia. 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

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Blackjack Oak
Quercus marilandica
Sun: Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow or green.
Similar growth form, height, spread
Post Oak
Quercus stellata
Sun: Full sun. Soil: Dry to average. Flowers: Brown/copper, yellow or green.
Similar growth form, height, spread
Box-elder
Acer negundo
Sun: Full sun. Soil: Moderate. Flowers: White.
Similar growth form, height, spread

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At a glance

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

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Recorded in 1 West Virginia county.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

104CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Pyrus

Abagrotis cupidaCupid Dart
Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Acleris minutaLesser Apple Leaf Folder, Yellowheaded Fireworm
Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
Acrobasis vacciniiCranberry Fruitworm
Acronicta clarescensClear Dagger
Acronicta fragilisFragile Dagger
Acronicta griseaGray Dagger
Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger

Show all 104

Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Acronicta radcliffeiRadcliffe's Dagger
Acronicta superansSplendid Dagger, Chieftain Dagger
Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
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
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
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 fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Coleophora multipulvellaApple Pistol Casebearer, Pistol Casebearer Moth
Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined 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
Eupsilia tristigmataThree-Spotted Sallow, Brown Fruitworm
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Euxoa tessellataTessellate Dart, Striped Cutworm
Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
Grapholita prunivoraLesser Apple Worm
Haploa colonaColona Moth
Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
Hedya chionosemaTwin-Spotted Budworm, White-Spotted Hedya
Hedya nr.Large Bud Moth, Green Bud Moth, Off-White Hedya
Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
Limenitis archippusViceroy
Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
Lithophane antennataAshen Pinion
Lithophane groteiGrote's Pinion, Green Fruit Worm
Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
Lithophane laticinereaBroad Ashen Pinion, Russet Spotted Pinion, Triple-Spotted Pinion
Lithophane unimodaDowdy Pinion
Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
Lyonetia prunifoliellaStriped Bent-wing
Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
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
Olethreutes malanaSlender Brown Budworm, Malana Leafroller
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm 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
Phyllonorycter crataegellaApple Leaf Miner, Apple Blotch Leafminer, Apple Leafblotch Miner
Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
Psorosina hammondiApple Leaf Skeletonizar
Rhopobota naevanaBlackheaded Fireworm, Holly Bud Moth, Holly Tortrix
Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
Sphinx drupiferarumWild Cherry Sphinx
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Synanthedon pictipesLesser Peachtree Borer Moth
Synanthedon pyriApple Bark Borer, Pear Borer
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
Bucculatrix pomifoliella

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” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (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” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (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

West Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	G5
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source