Cultivar 337: Philip

Philip is a University of Saskatchewan pear introduction from 1960. It was recorded as PR No. 4 and described as a cross of Pyrus ussuriensis and 'Aspa.' [S1] [S3] It was part of the prairie hardy pear program, but later Saskatchewan notes treated it as a larger fruited introduction that was not hardy enough for broad recommendation. [S1] [S2]

Sources describe Philip as a fairly large pear, about 7.0 x 6.0 cm or about 2 3/4 x 2 1/2 inches, with greenish yellow skin and creamy white flesh. [S1] [S2] [S3] Descriptions of fruit quality are modest. It had fair to very fair quality, a tender skin, and was considered mainly useful for processing rather than dessert use. [S1] [S2] [S3]

At Saskatoon, under field conditions without irrigation, Philip was reported to ripen in mid to late September and to keep fairly well after harvest. [S3] The prairie index also lists it as a late pear. [S1] Saskatchewan guidance on these pears noted that fruit should be picked before it is fully ripe and finished indoors, or the core may brown. It also noted stone cells near the core in this group of introductions. [S2]

Its main limitation in the record is hardiness. A 1976 Saskatchewan source says Philip generally lacked hardiness across six test locations from Zone 3B to Zone 5 and may have been the most tender of the University of Saskatchewan pear introductions. [S2] This places it in the archive less as a prairie standard than as an instructive breeding product: a larger, reasonably good pear from a hardy breeding program that still fell short on winter survival. [S2] [S3]

Summary source basis

• S1: An index of fruit cultivars tested or developed on the Canadian prairies.
• S2: hortfacts_1976_3.pdf
• S3: University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960

This summary currently draws chiefly from An index of fruit cultivars tested or developed on the Canadian prairies., with 2 additional supporting sources linked below.

Featured source descriptions

“Maturity: Late.”
— ^[2]

“Generally lacks hardiness in the six scattered locations from Zone 3B to Zone 5 and is possibly the most tender of the introductions.”
— ^[3]

“Has fair quality when ripened properly.”
— ^[3]

Direct parent cultivars

• No direct linked parent cultivars promoted yet.

Parentage claim text

• Origin listed as P. ussuriensis x 'Aspa'.
• Parentage is P. ussuriensis x Aspa.

Derived or downstream cultivar links

• No derived or downstream lineage links yet.

Source-story quotations

• PR. No. 4 Philip P. ussuriensis x Aspa 1960 2 3/4" x 2 1/2" under field conditions, without irrigation at Saskatoon, mid to late Sept. skin tender, very fair quality hold up fairly well.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p5
• PR. No. 4 Philip P. ussuriensis x Aspa 1960 2 3/4" x 2 1/2" under field conditions, without irrigation at Saskatoon, mid to late Sept. skin tender, very fair quality hold up fairly well.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p5
• PR. No. 4 Philip P. ussuriensis x Aspa 1960 2 3/4" x 2 1/2" under field conditions, without irrigation at Saskatoon, mid to late Sept. skin tender, very fair quality hold up fairly well.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p5
• PR. No. 4 Philip P. ussuriensis x Aspa 1960 2 3/4" x 2 1/2" under field conditions, without irrigation at Saskatoon, mid to late Sept. skin tender, very fair quality hold up fairly well.University of Saskatchewan fruit introductions 1959-1960, p5

Taxonomy context: No family-tree context surfaced yet.

Related cultivars mentioned in source context