Physical Description
The pear exhibits a pyriform "pear shape," with a rounded bell on the bottom half of the fruit, and then a definitive shoulder with a smaller neck or stem end. Williams are aromatic pears, and have what many consider the definitive "pear flavor". Colors of the pear vary from green (when unripe), to yellow (ripe) and red. Red Bartletts or Williams are very similar to the traditional Williams, aside from ripening to a reddish color rather than a yellow color. Red-skinned mutant clones (i.e. "sports") of the Williams are increasing in popularity, including three major varieties in the U.S.: the Max Red Bartlett, the Sensation Red Bartlett, and the Rosired Bartlett. One study of several macrosatellite loci in 63 European Pear (Pyrus communis L.) cultivars did not distinguish Max Red Bartlett and Sensation Red Bartlett from the standard Williams, which was expected since the red mutants were derived from the Williams by mutation. Dozens of other cultivars and hybrids have been created from Williams, created for properties like cold resistance, ripening time, skin coloration, and grafting compatibility.
Best when picked with the internal pressure of the pear is between 18 psi (120 kPa) and 16 psi (110 kPa), the pear should still be green and relatively hard when picked. Optimum conditions for ripening are in dry shady areas, and ripening usually takes 7 to 10 days from when the pear was picked. As the pear ripens the color will slowly change to a soft yellow and the pear will soften. Commercially produced pears are normally picked and shipped to the stores while green.
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