Red Clapps European Pear is a stunning heirloom fruit tree that produces large, jewel-like pears with reddish-purple skin that seem to glow against the green foliage. This Michigan-born variety ripens in September with a sweet, flavorful flesh that makes every harvest feel like a celebration. Hardy from zones 4 through 9, it grows to a mature height of 14 to 22 feet and thrives particularly well in maritime climates, showing good resistance to cedar trellis rust. Late-blooming and a reliable pollinizer, this tree brings both productivity and ornamental beauty to the garden.
Full Sun
—
4-9
264in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
The fruit hangs like jewels from the tree, its reddish-purple coloring creating a visual spectacle at harvest time. The flavor is genuinely excellent, sweet and balanced in a way that makes fresh eating a real pleasure. Beyond the tree's bounty, Red Clapps shows real resilience in the Pacific Northwest and across much of North America, with documented resistance to cedar trellis rust that makes it dependable even in challenging growing regions.
Red Clapps European Pear is grown primarily for fresh eating, where its sweet flavor and flavorful flesh shine best. The fruit's size and beautiful coloring also make it suitable for ornamental display before consumption, and its reliability as a pollinizer means it serves both productive and structural roles in mixed fruit plantings.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Plant in early spring or fall, positioning the tree in full sun. Ensure the soil is well-draining and the planting hole is deep enough to accommodate the root ball without cramping. Space trees 14 to 22 feet apart depending on the final canopy size you want.
Harvest Red Clapps pears in September when they reach full size and the reddish-purple coloring becomes prominent. The fruit should yield slightly to gentle pressure, but pears often benefit from being picked slightly before peak softness, then ripened indoors at room temperature for a few days to develop optimal sweetness and texture.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Known also as 'Red Kalle,' this pear variety emerged from Michigan and carries the heritage of regional fruit-breeding traditions in North America. It represents the kind of cultivar that developed through careful selection for the specific climate and culinary needs of its home region, eventually proving its worth far beyond Michigan's borders. The variety's late-blooming characteristic and its reliable performance as a pollinizer suggest it was chosen not just for personal harvest but as a tree that could support productive pear orchards.”