A sport of the green D’Anjou pear—meaning one of the limbs naturally mutated to produce red fruit and that limb was then propagated—Red D’Anjou carries many of the same taste characteristics as its green counterpart.

It’s one of the few sports we grow because the flavor holds up to the original. (A lot of sports out there, we find, don’t come anywhere close.) The main difference here is the color—everything else is right on par.

Flavor and Ripening

Red D’Anjou has excellent flavor and keep-ability. It’s subtly sweet, firm, and fine-textured. The bright green flesh ripens in early October and is great for fresh eating and storage.

Cold Hardiness and Growing Zones

This variety has been just as cold hardy for us in Montana (Zone 4) as the green Beurré D’Anjou. These trees are hardy down to –35°F, so they’re best suited for the warmer valleys like Missoula, Flathead, Mission, and Bitterroot. We don’t recommend them much outside those areas.

Tree Size and Production

These trees are going into their 5th year, and several have already produced fruit. They’re 4–6 ft. tall, with great branching, mature fruit spurs ready to bear, and well-developed root systems.