Doyenne du Comice pear trees

• Check pollinators >

• Picking season: Late
• Self-fertility: Not self-fertile
• Flowering group: 4

Comice is widely considered to have the best flavour of any pear. It has both the characteristic "melting" flesh of the highest quality pear varieties, along with a sweet richness and delicacy which others can't quite attain.

Although originating from France it was also well-known in England by the late 19th century and the Victorian author Robert Hogg records several letters from fellow enthusiasts praising its "surpassing flavour".

Doyenne du Comice organic pear trees for sale

Next deliveries: December 2025

• 11 yeartree on BA29 rootstock26.45€
  Medium tree (2m-3.5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  

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• 2Bush (2-years)tree on BA29 rootstock35.00€
  Medium tree (2m-3.5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  

  Collection only - contact us
• 3Half-standard (2 years)tree on BA29 rootstock35.00€
  Medium tree (2m-3.5m after 10 years) Bare-root
  

  Collection only - contact us

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Click here to view estimated delivery charges. We can deliver to most countries in the EU. However our 2-year trees and some pot-grown trees are too big or unsuitable for mail-order and are only available for collection direct from the nursery. Please contact us if you wish to order.

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If you do not hear from us by March you can contact us to pre-order for next autumn.

Growing and Training

As befits such a refined pear, if you are in northern Europe then Doyenne du Comice needs to be grown in a sheltered south-facing situation, and it does best in drier climates.

The other important consideration with Comice is that it needs a reliable pollination partner nearby, as the shape of its flowers makes it difficult for successful pollination to occur. Conference is a good choice as it is a naturally good pollinator and flowers just 3-4 days ahead of Comice, as are Gorham or Williams - the latter works well with Doyenne du Comice because they have separate fruiting seasons.

The fruit size is relatively large by pear standards - provided you thin the fruitlets in late spring.

As with all pears, it is important to get the time of picking right. Unlike apples, which are usually best if left to ripen on the tree, pears should be picked under-ripe and then ripened indoors (or in a fridge). It is generally ready to pick in early to mid October.

Inspite of its somewhat fussy requirements, Comice is quite resistant to fireblight, one of the main diseases of pears.

History

Comice was raised in the garden of the Comice Horticole, in the town of Angers in the Loire valley, France, during the mid-19th century.

Doyenne du Comice characteristics

• Gardening skillExperienced
• Self-fertilityNot self-fertile
• Flowering group4
• Disease resistanceAverage
• Picking seasonLate
• Season of use2-3 weeks
• Food usesEating fresh
• Summer average maximum temperaturesCool ( 20-24C / 68-75F)Warm (25-30C / 76-85F)
• Country of originFrance
• Period of origin1850 - 1899
• Flower colourWhite
• Fruit colourGreen - light

Similar varieties

• 
  Beurre d'Anjou
  Beurre d'Anjou is a highly-regarded traditional French dessert pear with melting sweet flesh.
• 
  Clapp's Favorite
  An attractive red-flushed early-season pear from the USA.
• 
  Conference
  Conference is a popular and reliable English pear, well-suited to temperate climates in north-west Europe.
• 
  Saint Mathieu
  Saint Mathieu is a traditional Franco-Belgian cooking pear.