Variety fit — Illinois
Can I grow Moonglow pear in Illinois?
The verdict
Maybe — with caveats
- Your typical 1510 chill hours meet this variety's needs, but no published hardiness range exists for it, so we can't confirm it survives your winters.
Based on Illinois’s main growing area (62701): zone 6a, ~1,510 chill hours. Your exact site may differ — check your ZIP.
The numbers
| Moonglow chill requirement | 400–500 chill hours |
|---|---|
| Illinois average chill (62701) | 1,510 hours (1,232–1,820 across 10 winters) |
| Illinois zone (62701) | USDA zone 6a |
Better pear choices for Illinois
These meet Illinois’s chill hours and zone comfortably:
Keep checking
Or the same verdict for another region:
Planting a Moonglow in Illinois? Get its care calendar for your exact ZIP code, starting with this month’s tasks for one tree, free.
Save your first tree freeQuestions
- Can I grow Moonglow pear in Illinois?
- Possibly — Your typical 1510 chill hours meet this variety's needs, but no published hardiness range exists for it, so we can't confirm it survives your winters.
Planting a Moonglow? Gear that helps
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Before you plantMySoil mail-in soil test kitLab-grade pH and nutrient analysis with amendment recommendations — worth doing before you plant.View on Amazon →First-year wateringTreegator slow-release watering bag20 gallons drips over 5–9 hours — the easiest way to keep a first-year tree consistently watered.View on Amazon →Bark protectionExpandable trunk protectors (5-pack)Stops rabbit, vole, and mower damage on young bark — cheap insurance for a new orchard.View on Amazon →
Sources
- [1] Open-Meteo / Copernicus ERA5. Historical Weather API (hourly 2m temperature) — accessed July 2026
- [2] USDA / PRISM (Oregon State University). 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map — accessed July 2026
- [3] Dave Wilson Nursery. European pears — DWN Variety Finder product list — accessed July 2026