Rescue Pear
Pollination & Compatibility Guide
Rescue pear pollination guide: Pacific Northwest heritage, large fruit sizing, partial self-set, and maritime scab resistance.
Rescue is Self-Sterile (Needs 1 Diploid Partner)
Pacific Northwest discovery (rescued near Vancouver, BC; tested at WSU Mount Vernon). High scab resistance; partially self-fertile in maritime climates but sets more reliably with a partner. Rescue needs at least one compatible pollinizer from bloom group 2–4 to set a reliable crop. It is often sold as self-fertile, and it will set a reduced crop alone in partially self-fertile in mild coastal climates; benefits from cross-pollination — but that is climate-dependent, not genetic, so plan a pollinizer.
- Chromosome Ploidy
- Diploid (2n)
- Required Companions
- 1 Diploid Partner
- Bloom Group
- Group 3 (Early-Spring)
- Harvest Timing
- Early (-14d from Conference)
Flowering Period & Overlap Window
Pear flowering periods are compressed into numbered bloom groups (1 through 4). Cross-pollination requires overlapping blossom timing between genetically compatible cultivars, with Asian pears flowering 7–14 days ahead of mid-season European varieties.
Any compatible diploid pear flowering within Group 2 to 4 provides matching blossom overlap.
Compatible Pollination Partners (22)
| Cultivar | Bloom Group | Overlap Type | Harvest | Primary Uses | Interactive Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid Concurrent (±0d) | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±7d delta | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid ±7d delta | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Early ±11d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid ±14d delta | Fresh Eating, Cooking | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±14d delta | Fresh Eating, Cooking | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid ±14d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±28d delta | Fresh Eating, Baking | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±28d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Mid ±28d delta | Fresh Eating, Storage | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±28d delta | Fresh Eating | Test Cross | |
| Group 3 | Full Overlap | Late ±35d delta | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Mid Concurrent (±0d) | Fresh Eating, Canning | Test Cross | |
| Group 2 | Full Overlap | Early ±6d delta | Canning, Jelly | Test Cross | |
| Group 4 | Full Overlap | Late ±7d delta | Fresh Eating, Storage | Test Cross |
Incompatible Varieties & Exclusions (4)
These pear varieties overlap in flowering time with Rescue but cannot fertilise it due to non-viable pollen (male-sterile diploids), direct parentage exclusions, or shared incompatibility alleles.
Gourmet produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Luscious produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Magness produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Warren produces no viable pollen, so it cannot serve as a pollinizer.
Pomological Assessment: Heritage Pacific Northwest Sizing, Maritime Scab Resistance & Pollination
Discovered in Buckeye, Washington, Rescue is a distinguished heritage pear of the Pacific Northwest celebrated for its enormous fruit size, often weighing over 400 grams. The skin turns bright creamy-yellow with an eye-catching orange-red blush, enclosing sweet, buttery, melting flesh.
Rescue is a diploid cultivar placed in Bloom Group 3. While it can display partial self-fertility in mild coastal maritime pockets, planting alongside compatible Bloom Group 3 diploids—such as Conference, Bosc, or Bartlett—ensures regular annual cropping, uniform fruit sizing, and high first-grade yields.
The tree is hardy and vigorous, producing sturdy branches that tolerate maritime winds. Fruit thinning is recommended when set is heavy to avoid undersized fruit and limb breakage under the weight of mature pears. Its distinctive fruit size and attractive bi-colour skin make Rescue a popular specialty cultivar for direct-market growers and autumn fruit displays. The wood is sturdy and resilient, tolerating maritime gales and heavy autumn rainfall without significant premature fruit drop.
Key Orchard Considerations for Rescue
Grafts reliably onto OHxF 87 rootstock. Requires a vigorous root system to support its heavy, large-fruited crop loads without branch breakage.
Displays notable resistance to pear scab in cool, damp maritime springs. Moderate tolerance to fire blight.
Picks early mid-season (September). Ripens smoothly with minimal refrigeration; best marketed fresh or processed into canned halves and pear purees.
Take Rescue from Planning to Planting
Use Kropigo's free browser tools to model your block density, tree counts, and pollinizer rows, then maintain permanent orchard records row by row.
Pollination Checker
Check Rescue against supported cultivars with compatible flowering and pollination data.
Commercial Block Planner
Calculate high-density tree spacing, row geometry, and establishment costs.
Block Record Keeping
Track pruning, chemical thinning, and harvest tallies block by block from the orchard.