Ubileen is a Bulgarian heirloom pear that ripens earlier than almost any other variety you can grow, hitting peak sweetness in early August across hardiness zones 5 through 9. This large, aromatic fruit develops a striking yellow skin with a deep red blush when fully ripe, and the buttery, fine-textured flesh delivers genuine complexity alongside its straightforward sweetness. Top-rated among thousands of pear varieties evaluated at the USDA national pear Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Oregon, Ubileen combines heritage reliability with the kind of early season harvest that makes August feel like pear season rather than summer's tail end.
Full Sun
Moderate
5-9
180in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Ubileen blooms earlier than nearly all other pears and ripens first, giving you ripe fruit by early August when other varieties are still weeks away. The yellow skin blushed with red signals full maturity, and you'll discover a buttery, fine-textured flesh that's genuinely flavorful rather than mealy or bland. This Bulgarian heirloom stands as one of the most highly rated pears in commercial collection, tested and verified across thousands of cultivars. At 15 feet tall at maturity, it's substantial enough to be a landscape feature while remaining manageable for most home orchards.
Ubileen's aromatic, buttery flesh and early ripening make it excellent for fresh eating at peak sweetness during mid to late summer. The fine texture and balanced flavor work beautifully in pear tarts, compotes, and poached preparations, though the variety's complexity is often best showcased simply sliced and eaten fresh.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Plant bare-root pears in late winter or early spring while still dormant, before buds break. Choose a site with full sun exposure and well-draining soil. Dig a planting hole wide enough to accommodate the root system without crowding, set the tree at the same depth it was growing in the nursery, and backfill with soil amended with compost. Water thoroughly after planting and mulch around the base to retain moisture.
Harvest Ubileen in early August when the skin has turned golden yellow with a red blush covering much of the surface. The fruit should feel slightly soft when gently pressed at the stem end; unlike some pears, Ubileen ripens fully on the tree rather than requiring off-tree ripening. Pick by gently twisting the fruit upward, or use pruners if it doesn't release easily. Early ripening means you'll be harvesting several weeks before most other pear varieties, making this your first pear crop of the season.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Ubileen originated in Bulgaria, where it was preserved and cultivated as a valued heirloom variety. Its exceptional quality caught the attention of researchers at the USDA national pear Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Oregon, where it was evaluated alongside thousands of other pear cultivars from around the world. The repository's extensive testing and ranking confirmed Ubileen's standing as one of the finest pears in global collection, a recognition that brought this Balkan heirloom to wider recognition among specialty fruit growers and heritage variety enthusiasts.”