Skip to content
EveryOrchard
Menu

Pear variety

Moonglow

The short answer

Moonglow requires 400–500 chill hours[1]. It needs a pollination partner[2].

Growing facts

Moonglow growing facts
Chill requirement400–500 chill hours[1] (nursery figure)
HardinessNot published for this variety
PollinationNeeds a pollination partner, bloom group 3[2]
Harvest windowAugust[3]
Years to bearing4–6 years (typical for pears)[4]
Moonglow pearSpecies illustration — no historical watercolor exists for this cultivar

Pollination partners

Moonglow blooms in group 3. The closest bloom-time matches make the most reliable partners:

Show 10 more compatible varieties

Notes

  • Pollenizer required; also a good pollenizer for other pears.[1]
  • Fire-blight-resistant USDA introduction (1960); ripens early to mid-August, about one week ahead of Bartlett.[3]

A year with your Moonglow

When the work happens for a pear in USDA zone 6, anchored to typical frost dates.

Months for pruning, thinning, spray-timing windows, and harvest for Pear in zone 6
TaskJFMAMJJASOND
Prune———————————
Thin——————————
Spray timing———————
Harvest—————————
Care———————————

See the full month-by-month pear calendar for zone 6 →

Can I grow Moonglow where I live?

Check the verdict for a few regions, or your exact ZIP:

Growing a Moonglow? Get its care calendar for your exact ZIP code, with email reminders.

Save this tree in My Orchard

Questions

How many chill hours does Moonglow need?
Moonglow needs 400–500 chill hours.
Is Moonglow self-pollinating?
No — Moonglow needs a compatible pollination partner nearby.

Sources

  1. [1] Dave Wilson Nursery. European pears — DWN Variety Finder product list — accessed July 2026
  2. [2] Burnt Ridge Nursery. European pear pollination chart — accessed July 2026
  3. [3] Virginia Cooperative Extension (Virginia Tech). Growing Pears in Virginia (VCE 422-017) — accessed July 2026
  4. [4] Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. How soon will a newly planted fruit tree begin to bear fruit? (Yard and Garden FAQ) — accessed July 2026