Stuttgarter Gaishirtle Pear

Rod McIver and Luke Robinson’s all time favorite pear, Stuttgarter Gaishirtle (also known as Geishirtl or Geishirtli), is a versatile pear discovered around 1750 near Stuttgart by a goatherd. Prized both fresh at the table and for use in cider or drying, its name translates loosely to “little goatherd from Stuttgart.”

Its short shelf life is offset by its excellent suitability for preservation and especially drying. The dried Gaishirtle pears are, along with dried plums, a main ingredient in Hutzelbrot (a traditional German fruit bread). Because it contains less tannic acid and juice compared to other varieties, it is less suitable as a cider pear.

Ripens typically between the third and forth week of August in Western Montana. Hardy to roughly -35F. Unknown if these can survive lower temps than this, but we would err on the side of caution. Survived in a cold zone 4 part of Kalispell, MT for decades until it was taken out by a wind storm in 2024.