Pitmaston Duchess

An excellent old English dual purpose pear with very large exhibition fruit.

Origin: Worcestershire UK, 1841

Pollination: Pitmaston Duchess is a self-sterile triploid and would require a pollinator to produce a crop.Find pollination partners >

British-grown All our bare-root trees are personally hand-grafted by our Nursery Manager and grown on at our nursery in Kent. We have Defra and Plant Healthy certification. More ...

Pitmaston Duchess pear trees produced to order

Closing date for custom graft orders: 14 Jul 2025

We do not stock this variety, but we can produce custom-graft trees for you. Trees can be grafted on any of the following rootstocks:

Form	Rootstock	Price	Quantity
Maiden	PyrusVery vigorous	£39.00

Custom graft trees would be supplied in December 2026. More details of our custom grafting service here.

History and description of Pitmaston Duchess

Putmaston Duchess pear was raised in 1841 by John Williams at Pitmaston, Wocestershire, UK from a cross between Duchesse d'Angouleme and Glou Morceau.

A very large fruit with an average weight of more than 1 lb (500 g). Long conical to pyriform in shape. Smooth, pale yellow skin. Variable amount of brown russet and slight red flush. Creamy white, smooth, juicy flesh. Good flavour with a hint of acidity. Can be used both as a dessert and a cooking pear.

Vigorous tree. Good to heavy cropping. A triploid and therefore ineffective as a pollinator.

Characteristics of Pitmaston Duchess pear trees

Use	Dual Cul & Des
Colour
Flavour
Fruit size	Large
Picking time	Oct
Season of use	Oct-Nov
Tree vigour	Vigorous
Tree habit	Upright-spreading
Fruit-bearing	Spur-bearer
Cropping	Good
Pollination date	20
Pollination group	D
Self-fertility	Self-sterile triploid
Pollinators	Pollination partners
Parentage	Duchesse d'Angouleme Glou Morceau