Description:
- Tree grows to 13m tall (4)
- Leaves- ovate to elliptic, glossy dark green leaves have crenate to serrate margins (3)
- Flowers- aromatic, 5-petaled, creamy white flowers in corymbs appear in early Spring on spur-like branchlets (3)
- Fruits- flowers give way to pear-shaped fruits that ripen from midsummer to fall (3)
Habitat(3):
- Native range- Southern Europe, Southwestern Asia
- Cultivated in the U.S.
- Grows best in well-drained humusy soils with medium moisture in full sun
pic (1)
Reproduction:
pic (5)
Conservation Status:
- Cultivated worldwide for its fruit (2)
Interesting Facts(2):
- Originally cultivated by the ancient Greeks
- Numerous uses: sweet edible fruit, wood used to make musical instruments
- Host for plant parasites such as mistletoe
