The shipova (Sorbopyrus auricularis) is the result of an unexpected crossbreeding in Alsace around the 1600s between a pear tree and a rowan, creating a new type of fruit now threatened with extinction. It’s a fruit you are unlikely to find in the grocery store, but one worth planting at home to discover its tropical flavor, a blend of pear and rowan.

The small, seedless pears grow in clusters, rounded, yellow and orange, blushing on the sunny side. They are sweet and emit an exciting floral rosaceous aroma. These pears can be protected from thieves, as they continue to ripen after harvest. They are delightful fresh, dried, or canned. This hybrid resists diseases well and can even produce in poor soils. The shipova is of reasonable size, with a fragrant bloom and is self-fertile.