The original Shenandoah seedling was developed at the Appalachian Fruit Research Station in 1985 by R.L. Bell. So, it was created in the Shenandoah Valley, hence its name. It was released by the USDA and Ohio State University in 2003. Fire Blight has always been a huge problem for pear crops. Shenandoah and Harrow Sweet are both varieties that have been created to find a Fire Blight resistant Bartlett type pear.
The parents of Shenandoah are Red Max Bartlett and Seckel. And it is very similar to a Bartlett pear but with some resistance to Fire Blight. It also has a long storage life in refrigeration.
Shenandoah is cold-hardy to 20 below zero, so it does grow well in our area. It looks and tastes a lot like Bartlett, only a little sweeter, with a aromatic flavor, due to its Seckel genetics. When ripe, Shenandoah is large in size and yellow with a nice red blush. It is good for fresh eating, baking, and canning.
All of the pear varieties that we are offering will pollinate each other.
