Identifying a fruit tree

I was inspired to write this post after reading a story at Our Neck of the Woods.

You may think it's easy to identify a fruit tree by its fruit...right? Well, we had a fruit tree in which the fruit alone did not lend itself to a positive id.

Our first Fall here, everyday provided a new discovery. One such discovery was a fruit tree, but it was mind boggling. We couldn't tell what it was. So we took notice of the fruit - that it was round like an apple, yet also resembled a pear, or possibly a quince. I didn't think to take pictures or detail notes of the fruit. We found it late in the harvest, most had already fallen off the tree and were bore through by ants, wasps, bees and the like. So no tasting took place.

Last Spring, our first Spring here, this tree bloomed earlier that the other apple and pear trees we have. The bloom was beautiful and extremely aromatic with a light sweet fragrance.


Without taking notes about the fruit, of course I forgot the details. All I could remember was...I thought it an apple, pear, or quince. Trying to identify based solely on the blossom was not happening. So I took pictures and notes, and anxiously awaited the fruit to ripen. It was a long summer!


When the fruit finally ripened, in September, I grabbed one and headed inside. (I had to make one more trek out to grab a leaf and take note of the bark.) Once I had all I needed, I made a detailed list of characteristics.

Flower:
-5 white regular petals
-sweet smelling
-petals, polypetalous
-10 to 12 stamen
-4 to 5 sepals
-bloom in cluster


Leaf:
-green broadleaf
-alternating
-simple
-no lobes
-finely serrated
-I couldn't decide if it was ovate (oval to elliptical) or cordate (heart shaped)


Fruit:
-2 1/2" diameter
-sits 2 1/2" high
-7 to 8" circumference
-hard and firm
-extremely sweet smell, prior to cutting
-sweet taste
-yellow, russet skin
-fall ripening
-pome (several seeds)


Using a combination of books my husband has, and the internet (specifically ArborDay.org), we identified it as an Asian Pear (pyrus pyrifolia). Scrumptious!

This year, we're working on yet another type of fruit tree - this one is either an apricot or plum!
Do you have fruit trees, or any tree for that matter, that you've had to, or are trying to identify?

This what shared at the The HomeAcre Hop and the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop.
-Live Simple, Be Happy-
Magnolia Holler