Columnar pear Sapphira: description of the variety, photos, reviews, pruning rules

Description of the variety

The Sapphira columnar pear is a low tree that grows no more than 2.5 m in height. It has practically no skeletal branches; foliage and fruits are formed on the main trunk. The trunk itself can reach up to 22 cm in diameter in 5-7 years. Shoots with fruit buds are placed at an acute angle to the trunk. The species is compact, characteristic of all columnar trees. This variety is recommended for cultivation in the central regions of Russia.

The leaves are simple, large in shape, slightly rounded, green in color. Foliage can grow directly on the trunk. The pear tree blooms in early May, from the 1st to the 15th. The flowers are large, with a pleasant aroma, forming umbrella-shaped inflorescences. During flowering, the tree is highly decorative.

Fruiting is cyclical. The shape of the fruit is classic pear-shaped, elongated, the size is different and can vary from the smallest (from 50 g) to quite significant in weight (up to 300 g). The color when fully ripe is rich with a yellow-green tint and a pink spot on the side on the south side. Brown spots under the skin are also visible. The peel itself is dense, but not too tough. The cut flesh is juicy, white, with a creamy tint. Technical maturity of the fruit occurs in the first ten days of September.

Attention! It is necessary to collect Sapphire pears in a ripe, but not overripe state, since overripe fruits significantly lose their taste. At the same time, the pulp becomes loose and very soft.

The taste qualities of ripe Sapphira pears are quite high. The fruits taste sweet, with a pleasant sourness, but the amount of sugar does not exceed the standard. The calorie content of the fruit is low and amounts to only 42 kcal per 100 g.

Reproduction of columnar pears: the most common methods

Experts recommend buying a columnar pear so that you can eventually plant it on your site. Propagation of this crop by seed is very difficult. Firstly, this takes a lot of time and effort. It will take more than one year to obtain a fruit-bearing columnar pear tree. In addition, not all varieties of columnar pear can be obtained in this way.

Propagation of columnar pears by grafting

Columnar pears can be of two types: seeded and grafted. Seed pears are bred naturally due to their natural genes. By grafting, dwarf pear seedlings can be grafted onto rootstocks such as quince or serviceberry. Grafting onto the rootstock is best done in late April or early May. It is better to choose the morning or evening, or throughout the day if the weather is cloudy. It is recommended to prepare cuttings for grafting in winter, and when carrying out the grafting process, use only clean and sharp tools so as not to make unnecessary movements.

Propagation of columnar pears by cuttings

• To propagate a clonal pear in this way, it is necessary to prepare green cuttings in advance.
• Each cutting should be approximately 25-30 cm long and each should contain at least five leaves and two internodes.
• In a separate container, dilute a special root former solution; Kornevin is often used. Place the cuttings, peeled from the bottom, in this solution for a couple of days. This stimulates faster rooting of columnar pear cuttings.
• After this process is completed, the cuttings are buried in soil mixed with a small part of sphagnum.
• Usually, if all the conditions of this propagation method are met, the rooting of cuttings occurs quite quickly.

Drought resistance, frost resistance

The Sapphira pear variety is moderately resistant to frost and drought. Since the root system of a tree is superficial, it is difficult for the roots to independently extract moisture from the soil. Therefore, it is important to ensure systematic watering. Lack of moisture can affect yield, often the size and juiciness of the fruit.

In terms of winter hardiness, such a tree without shelter can withstand frosts of at least -25ºС. With a higher frost index, the buds die, which can affect the harvest, even to the point of its absence. Therefore, shelter for the winter is required in order to maximally protect the columnar tree from freezing.

Advice from experienced gardeners

Over many years of growing columnar trees, in particular the Sapphira variety, experienced gardeners have noticed a number of patterns that they use to obtain high yields:

• The upper part of the central conductor is covered with tights, which are filled with dry sawdust or shavings. The bottom of the trunk is covered with spruce branches.
• In order not to damage the root system, which is located in the top layer of soil, rye is used. It is sown in July and then mowed in October. The stems are left as mulch. The roots remain in the soil, which rot over the winter, fertilizing the soil.
• To protect trees from pest invasion, you can fumigate them with smoke from smoldering straw. Straw is laid out around the tree (not close to the trunk), lit and immediately extinguished, leaving it in a smoldering state.
• 2-3 weeks before harvesting, all chemical treatments are stopped.

Growing a columnar Sapphire pear is a more labor-intensive process than a regular one, but it has many advantages. After all, you can place such compact plants even in a small area and reap a tasty, full-fledged harvest.

Pollinators

The Sapphira pear variety is a self-fertile tree, so to obtain a harvest it is important to plant self-fertile plants nearby that coincide in flowering period. It is usually recommended to plant a Honey Pear nearby.

Also, as a pollinator, you can plant the following varieties next to the Sapphira pear:

• Lada;
• Chizhovskaya;
• Yakovlev's favorite.

Attention! An excellent planting option for a bountiful harvest would be to alternate in one row; when planting randomly, it is important to arrange the trees so that there is at least one pollinator tree for every 4 Sapphire pears.

Pollination

For a decent harvest, at least 2 varieties of pears must grow in the garden, approximately the same flowering period, since these trees are self-sterile. The varieties Lyubimitsa Yakovleva, Lada, Chizhovskaya are considered universal pollinators. For the Sapphire pear, the columnar Honey will be an ideal partner - they can be planted alternating, in one row. To increase the chances of a harvest, it is recommended to additionally spray flowering trees with honey or sweetened water to attract pollinating insects.

Productivity

The high yield of Sapphira pear directly depends on a number of factors:

• soil fertility;
• correct and timely watering;
• location near a pollinator tree.

If all points are met, then the yield from one adult pear can reach up to 20 kg.

After transplantation, it begins to bear fruit in the 3rd year of life. The Sapphire variety has an autumn ripening period; the fruits begin to ripen in early September, at which time they are completely ready for harvest. It is important to pick them at the moment of technical ripeness, since overripe pears become soft, tasteless and quickly begin to rot right on the tree.

Application area

The fruits of the Sapphira variety are suitable for consumption both fresh and processed. Various preserves and winter preparations are prepared from them, and natural juice without added sugar is obtained.

Attention! The fruits of the Sapphira variety are more suitable for making jams and preserves; it is irrational to use this pear for jam with pieces and confiture, since the pulp will completely disintegrate during heat treatment.

Also, Sapphire pear is not suitable for freezing, as the fruits lose their taste and become watery. But you can save the fruits for the winter in dried form.

The fruits retain their presentation and taste until December after harvest. They tolerate transportation quite well. When storing indoors, it is important to maintain average air humidity and temperature not lower than 0. The optimal temperature for storing Sapphire pear fruits is considered to be +3-5ºС.

Advantages and disadvantages

All the positive and negative qualities of any fruit tree can be seen only when grown in your own summer cottage or garden plot. But still, from the general description and photo of the columnar pear of the Sapphira variety, it becomes clear that it has the following advantages:

• the compactness of the tree and the absence of skeletal branches allows you to plant such a pear even in the smallest areas;
• the Sapphire pear grows no more than 2-2.5 m in height, which simplifies the process of collecting fruits;
• early entry into fruiting in the 3rd year after planting;
• annual and high yield;
• large fruits;
• high taste and versatility of use;
• The shelf life of fresh pears is until December;
• resistance to fungal diseases, in particular scab.

Among the disadvantages are:

• rapid aging of the tree, starting from the 8th year, the yield is significantly reduced;
• when overripe, the fruits lose their gastronomic properties;
• low frost resistance;
• productivity directly depends on the fertility of the land and the presence of a pollinator nearby;
• superficial root system that needs winter shelter.

Description of the columnar pear variety Sapphira

Initially, this original type of pear had nothing to do with human breeding efforts. It was accidentally found in the middle of the last century in England among old garden plantings. It was distinguished by short internodes, fruit buds directly in the leaf whorls, and a complete absence of skeletal branches. Externally, this pear tree looked like a column covered with leaves and fruits, for which it was classified as columnar.

Subsequent efforts of gardeners were aimed at increasing the yield of this type of pear while maintaining its compactness. The most successful variety was Sapphira, which is now the oldest representative of this pear species. It is a tree whose height does not exceed 2 m.

It is characterized by moderate cold resistance and good resistance to major pear diseases. Sapphira enters the fruiting period early - in the third year after planting, but just as early it ends active fruiting, which sharply decreases after the tree reaches the age of 11 years.

Did you know? The Chinese denote a pear with one of the most common words in the Chinese language, “li,” which also means “immortality.”

Fruit characteristics

Sapphire fruits are universally used with good taste, reach a weight of a quarter of a kilogram, and often more, and ripen in early September. They have a classic pear-shaped shape, and they are painted green-yellow with a burgundy spot located on the side of the pear, facing south.

The flesh of this pear is white with creamy undertones, distinguished by its juiciness and sweet taste, offset by a slight sourness. The calorie content of 100 g of ripe pear is 43 kcal. The peel of the fruit is quite dense, allowing it to be successfully transported or stored until December.

Pros and cons of the variety

• The advantages of the variety are determined by:
• the small height of the tree, which greatly facilitates its care and harvesting;
• good gastronomic properties of pears;
• resistance to scab, fire blight, powdery mildew and some other serious diseases of pome fruit trees;
• early entry into the fruiting season;
• the ability to occupy the minimum size of garden space;
• high yield, reaching 15–20 kg per tree;
• decent presentation of the fruit;
• their good keeping quality.

• The disadvantages of the Sapphire variety include:
• fragility of trees, living no more than 15 years;
• insufficient frost resistance, the lower threshold of which is -25°C;
• self-sterility of the pear, which needs third-party pollinators;
• requirement for intensive watering;
• low yield on infertile soils;
• superficiality of the root system, which makes it difficult to loosen the tree trunk and requires winter shelter.

Optimal growing conditions

The columnar pear variety Sapphira feels best on fertile, well-moistened soils in regions with non-cold winters. Growing it in places with severe frosts and in arid regions does not make sense. Cultivation of the variety on infertile soils leads to low yield.

Pollinators

Being a self-sterile variety, Sapphira needs pollinators. An ideal partner for it is also the columnar pear of the Honey variety.

Pear varieties are also well suited for this purpose in the form of:

• Frets;
• Chizhovskaya;
• Yakovlev's favorites.

When planning garden plantings of pears, it is necessary to proceed from the need to have 1 third-party pollinator per 4 trees of the cultivated variety.

Site selection and soil preparation

To plant Sapphire pears, you should choose a sunny, warm and slightly windy place. The soil must be nutritious, since infertile soil significantly reduces yield.

Before planting a columnar pear, the soil should be prepared in advance. When planting in spring, soil preparation is carried out in the fall. The selected place is dug up, adding organic fertilizers (a bucket of humus) to the soil; it is also recommended to add a small amount of superphosphate and potassium chloride (30 g) to the soil. Then the soil is leveled, but not compacted.

Diseases and pests

Sapphire pear has good resistance to various diseases and pests, but to maintain strong immunity, it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive measures. In the selection of articles below, you can find useful materials on this topic.

Dangerous Pear Pests

Pears often suffer from pests, they affect the leaves, bark and fruits.

In this article, we have selected 11 of the most harmful insects that harm pear trees, and also ways to destroy them.

Diseases of pear trees

To get what they cherish, gardeners have to work hard, and the reason for this is pear diseases.

Read about 19 common pear diseases and how to combat them.

Selection and preparation of seedlings

In addition to choosing a location and preparing the soil, it is important to choose the right pear seedling so that it takes root well. The best option would be to purchase a seedling from a specialized nursery.

The Sapphire pear seedling should be taken as an annual one, as it will take root better in a new place. There should be no visible damage to the trunk and leaves, as well as signs of wilting and signs of disease. It is important to pay attention to the root system; it must be well developed.

Advice! It is best to choose a seedling where the root system is covered with an earthen ball, this guarantees the integrity of the roots.

Landing

When choosing a place to plant Sapphira pears, you need to give preference to areas protected from the wind. In the articles selected below, you can find useful tips on choosing and preparing a seat.

How to plant a pear tree correctly

At what distance to plant pears?

How to choose pear seedlings

How to replant a pear

Landing algorithm

The planting process begins with preparing the hole. It should be dug up 2-3 days before planting the seedling. The size of a single pit should be about 80 cm deep and 60 cm in diameter. When planting in a row, you can also prepare a trench 80 cm deep and 60 cm wide. It is important to maintain a distance between seedlings in a row of at least 50 cm, and make the row spacing 1.5-2 m.

6 hours before planting, the roots of the seedling are dipped into water and left to soak.

The excavated soil is mixed with superphosphate and potassium chloride. About 10 liters of water are poured into the prepared pit and wait until it is completely absorbed. Then pour 2 buckets of a mixture of humus and sand into the bottom in a ratio of 2:1, and 1/3 of the excavated soil from the hole, making a small hill. A seedling is placed on the formed hill, straightening its roots. At this stage, you need to install a support and tie the trunk of a young tree to it.

Fill the hole with the remaining soil on top and lightly compact it with your hands. Water the seedling generously with 2-3 buckets of warm water.

Sapphire pear: planting varieties

Sapphire pear: photo of the variety

The cultivation of any vegetation begins from the moment of its purchase; therefore, you first need to purchase healthy planting material from a time-tested nursery, from a reliable online store with a good reputation, or from a professional gardener. And columnar varieties are chosen even more carefully; you need to scrupulously double-check all the information that is available.

• Planting principles.

Columnar-type pear varieties, as a rule, are planted in trenches dug fifty cm deep, the interval between seedlings is sixty cm. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the pit, which includes expanded clay or broken brick, on top of which it is filled with a nutrient substrate containing humus, peat and sand, in equal quantities.

The soil for planting is thoroughly moistened to an earthen slurry, the seedlings are placed in a trench, and their roots are straightened. Nutrient soil is added on top to the height of the root collar, then it is compacted around the trunks, and watering is carried out from a watering can. It is recommended to immediately mulch the surface soil layer to maintain a constant level of moisture.

If you deepen the root collar when planting, this will significantly delay fruiting.

Aftercare

After planting a seedling, it needs proper care for good development and growth. It consists of timely and abundant watering, as well as fertilizing.

Young pears of the Sapphira variety need to be watered at least 3 times a week; in dry weather, watering should be done daily. After each watering, carefully loosen and weed the soil.

Advice! To prevent water from leaking out, you can make a small depression around the trunk.

Sapphire pear also requires timely feeding, which will guarantee a good harvest. It is better to fertilize according to the following scheme:

• spring (during the period of swelling of the buds) - apply nitrogen-containing fertilizers in the amount of 50 g per tree;
• the second fertilizing is carried out after 3 weeks - nitroammophoska is added to the soil in the amount of 60 g (fertilizing is repeated again after 3-4 weeks);
• summer - add 0.5 tbsp to the soil. l. wood-like superphosphate;
• autumn (early autumn) - add potassium monophosphate or potassium salt to the soil according to the norm.

The Sapphira pear does not require traditional pruning, but it is still necessary to pinch out the side shoots.

In the first year after planting, if a pear seedling begins to bloom, be sure to remove the flowers completely or leave no more than 4 ovaries. In the second year after planting, the flowers are thinned out, leaving only 2 specimens on each ovary.

In autumn, after the Sapphira pear has completely shed its leaves, preparations for winter should begin.

Important! In the autumn, be sure to whitewash the pear trunk with a mixture of lime, copper sulfate, wood glue, red pepper, tar and insecticide. This whitewash protects the pear from rodents.

To protect the roots, mulching is mandatory; for this you can use:

• sawdust;
• shavings;
• dry humus.

The tree itself is wrapped in burlap or non-woven covering material.

Planting, growing, care

Columnar pears are generally unpretentious. However, growing them has its own characteristics associated with the characteristics of the tree.

• First of all, this concerns the root system. Dwarf pears have a branched, but superficial root system. Even with normal loosening of the tree trunk circle, the roots can be damaged. In addition, the purpose of watering is not to soak the soil deeply with water, but to retain moisture in the top layer of soil.

This problem is solved by tinning. Cereals and alfalfa are sown in the trunk circle and between the rows and mowed as they grow. On the one hand, such plants accumulate nitrogen, which the pear can use, on the other hand, they represent an excellent mulch and retain moisture in the top layer of soil. At the same time, they also solve the weed problem.

• The second feature is the shape of the crown. The hybrid tends to form only short, non-branching shoots. But this does not mean that pruning can be neglected. On the contrary, in the first 3 years of life it is necessary to mold the crown.
• The third unusual feature is the compactness of the tree. This allows plants to be planted very close to each other, thus saving garden space.

Landing

Sapphira can be propagated in two ways. A simpler one: purchase a seedling from a nursery and plant it in the ground. Another method is more complicated, but allows you to do without buying a seedling and use cuttings from a neighbor’s pear, for example. Sapphira is grafted not onto a pear, but onto a quince or shadberry.

You can learn about planting pear seedlings in spring here.

Planting this type of seed pear is somewhat different from tall varieties.

The site for the pear should be chosen dry, but not necessarily on a hill. The main thing is that the planting area is well lit, otherwise the crop will not be able to ripen. The presence of tall trees nearby is undesirable.

Pear grows on neutral or slightly acidic soils, but always fertile. If the soil is poor, then preparing the site for planting includes placing fertilizer in the pits. Later, the trees will need to be fed frequently.

It is preferable to find an area closed from drafts. Cold wind will not harm the plant. But fruit ripening may slow down. In addition, strong gusts can damage a small tree.

Deadlines

Sapphira can be planted both in spring and autumn - in mid-October. In fact, both professionals and amateur gardeners recommend planting pear trees in the spring, since unexpected autumn frosts can destroy the tree. In the spring, Sapphira is planted from the second half of April until the beginning of June, when the likelihood of frost is very low.

Technology and agricultural technology

To plant a pear in the spring, you need to prepare the soil in the fall. The selected area is dug up, and during digging, a little humus is added - 1 bucket for 5-7 future holes. Then the soil is well loosened and leveled.

A few days before planting, holes are dug for the seedlings with a depth of 80 cm and a diameter of 60 cm. The soil is divided and the top layer is folded separately.

When planting columnar pears, it is necessary to follow a certain pattern to provide the plants with fresh air and access to sunlight.

1. 8–10 liters of water are poured into the pit. After the moisture is absorbed, 2-3 buckets of humus mixed with sand are added to the hole - a ratio of 2:1. The top layer of earth removed from the pit is mixed with potassium chloride and superphosphate.
2. The seedling is soaked in water before planting.
3. The earth at the bottom of the pit is compacted so that a mound is formed. A seedling is placed in the center of this mound and the roots are carefully straightened.
4. Fill the hole with the prepared soil mixture and compact it thoroughly. It is recommended to tie the seedling to a stake.
5. After planting, water the pear - 1-2 buckets.

A young seedling needs abundant watering. Trees are watered 3-4 times a week, and in dry summers every day.

What is the best thing to grow from?

For planting, he chooses annual seedlings - they take root faster and are more resistant to disease. The bark on the trunk of a healthy tree should be clean and smooth, and there should be no signs of wilting or disease on the leaves and branches. The roots of the plant must be clean and free of growths.

But how to grow a pear from a seed can be found at this link.

Distance between trees

The minimum permissible distance between pears is 40 cm, the maximum is 120 cm. It is best to plant Sapphira according to the scheme: 50 cm between trees and 1–1.5 m between rows. So trees grow quite compactly, and caring for them is much easier.

Care

Caring for Sapphira is not much different from the rules for growing other columnar pears.

The most important thing for a plant is timely, abundant watering. Both adult and young plants are watered three times a week. If there is a drought, then you need to water once every 1-2 days. The superficial root system does not allow Sapphira to receive water from the depths, so the gardener has to ensure that moisture remains in the top layer of soil.

Every year, columnar pear trunks are whitened with thick lime with the addition of dolomite flour.

For the winter, the tree should be wrapped in spruce branches. If there is not enough snow, the latter is collected in other areas and poured around the tree.

Feeding

Sapphira requires intensive feeding.

The first spraying of the tree has nothing to do with spring feeding. A 1% solution of iron sulfate protects the pear from diseases and provides disinfection.

Feeding is carried out three times a year:

• immediately after the first leaves appear, the soil is fertilized with a urea solution: 10 g per 2 liters of water;
• the second procedure is carried out after 2 weeks;
• After another 4 weeks, fertilizing with urea is repeated.

A urea solution can be combined with an ammonium nitrate solution.

In the fall, after the pear leaves fall, gardeners once again spray the trees with a 5% solution of iron sulfate.

You should not only water the pear with a urea solution, but also spray the tree. This speeds up the growth of the pear.

Fruit ripening

The fruits ripen by the end of August or in the first ten days of September. They need to be removed immediately, as the fruits quickly overripe and become too soft.

The tree strives to bloom and form an ovary in the first year of life. If flowers appear, they are removed completely. In the second year of life, you can save 5–6 flowers.

Columnar pears are prone to overload. To get a good harvest and large fruits, the color is thinned out: 2 flowers are saved from each inflorescence.

Fruit storage

Not only does the tree itself not like frost, but the fruits also do not tolerate cold. Pears should be stored at a temperature of +3-+5 C. Already at 0 C, the taste of the fruit deteriorates. Fruits are stored until December. Later, the fruits become too soft, lose their taste and may rot. Read about the Ostankino columnar apple tree in this article.

Rejuvenation

Columnar pears live and bear fruit for a very short time - 10–15 years. Sapphira does not need anti-aging pruning.

Pruning

Pruning is necessary to form the crown. Without pruning, the tree will not lose its resemblance to a column, but will acquire many empty side shoots that draw nutrients and reduce the yield.

• The best time for pruning is early spring, late March-early April, when the air has already warmed up slightly.

On a young tree, the side shoots are cut to 2 buds. On more mature ones, 3–5 buds are left on the shoots. If the branches are slightly split, you do not need to trim them, but only pinch them - remove the tip of the shoot.

There is no need to severely prune the shoots, as pruning stimulates growth and branching. If as a result of the procedure many small side branches appear, they are thinned out.

• In the fall, sanitary pruning is performed: dried, damaged, and fruit-bearing branches are removed. The branches are pruned after the leaves have fallen, but still at above-zero temperatures. After cold weather, pruning cannot be done.

Only the side shoots are shortened; the stem cannot be touched. If the top bud is damaged, the tree begins to produce strong lateral shoots. In this case, the central trunk is trimmed, the side branches are removed, leaving one closest to the trunk. Next year it will take the place of the central one, and the pear will take on a columnar shape.

Pests and diseases

Despite the fact that the Sapphire pear is resistant to various fungal diseases, if not properly cared for there is a risk of diseases such as:

• brown spot is a fungal disease that causes early leaf drop. The appearance of the disease can be prevented by spraying with 1% Bordeaux mixture or the preparations “HOM”, “Abiga-Peak” before and after flowering;
• gray rot - also refers to a fungal disease, but develops not only on the leaves, but also on the fruits; you can fight this disease with the help of the drugs “Raek” or “Skor”.

The most dangerous pests include:

• pear-umbrella aphid;
• pear leaf gall midge;
• codling moth;
• leaf weevil.

The appearance of colonies of these insects is especially dangerous for the Sapphire columnar pear, even to the point of complete death, since the tree is small in size. To get rid of pests, you can use the following drugs:

• "Kemifos";
• "Kinmiks";
• "Aktellik";
• "Spark";
• "Inta-Vir".

Sapphira pear: reviews from gardeners

Sapphire pear: photo of the variety

Tamara Vasilyevna, 66 years old, Rostov region: “When I looked at the characteristics and photographs of the Sapphire columnar pear in a beautiful catalog of a popular manufacturer, there was not a trace of doubt left. The cost, of course, is high, but I was more worried about the fact that I want to plant a real columnar pear in my garden. I was lucky and the seedling was delivered in excellent condition. We planted it in the second month of spring; by the last days of summer it had grown a little. For the winter, they wrapped the trunk with ribbons of non-woven material, and the next spring season the first pear blossomed. I decided to leave 1 ovary to check the variety. The characteristic was confirmed. Next year I'm expecting a good harvest. I don’t regret purchasing the speaker one bit.”

Semenov I.P., 66 years old, Voronezh region: “I bought a columnar pear for the first time at a local market. It turned out, don’t understand, it was definitely not the variety that I wanted to purchase. The next time, I spent a long time selecting a good nursery, went to dig it myself, there they offered me the Sapphira pear variety, they told me that this is the oldest Russian columnar variety. I planted it in the fall, I doubted that it might not survive the winter, but that’s what happened - the apical bud froze. I dug through a ton of material with photographs, characteristics of the variety, and reviews to find out how to correct the mistake. And I’ll tell you, thanks to my invaluable experience, I realized that these columns are not worth such labor costs. I recommend planting time-tested pears, which are easy to form and will not require shelter for the winter.”