Conference is the most widely-grown pear variety in the UK. It crops heavily and reliably, and will grow in most situations.
It is also one of the few pear varieties to be reliably self-fertile in most situations, so you don't usually need another pollinator nearby. Furthermore it is a good pollinator for many other pears.
The skin is usually partially covered in golden-green russet.
A home-grown Conference pear, picked just before it is fully ripe, has an excellent flavour that should not disappoint.
Next deliveries: December 2025
Let me know when Conference pear trees are back in stock.
If you do not hear from us by March you can contact us to pre-order for next autumn.
Conference is one of the easiest pears to grow, being less fussy than some other pear varieties, tolerant of late frosts and strong-growing. It is by far the best choice if you want to grow a pear in less than ideal conditions.
Unusually amongst pears, Conference is effectively self-fertile. However nearby pollination partners will help cropping - try Doyenne du Comice or Williams.
Conference will also pollinate some late-flowering Asian pears which overlap with its flowering time.
All pears tend to grow with a vertical habit, but this is particularly the case with Conference, which can have a distinctly columnar upright appearance.
Conference was developed by the Rivers Nursery of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, in the second half of the 19th century. It is thought to be a seedling of a continental variety called Van Mons Leon Leclerc.
It was named after the National British Pear Conference held in 1885.
