as is known, I have a fondness for the many interesting hybrids as rowan and its relatives can form with other genera within the family Rosaceae. A favorite among these is the plant called Shipova and that is a hybrid between whitebeam (Sorbus aria) and pears (Pyrus communis) or snöpäron (Pyrus nivalis) with the botanical name x Sorbopyrs auricularia. It is a natural crossover that certainly has occurred in many places around Europe, but because they rarely produce viable seeds and sometimes completely seedless (som Shipova) the thanks only man able to multiply and spread to fruktentusiasters gardens across half the globe. Right Ship above is believed to originate from Serbia. I became aware of Shipova ever since I read in a book that it was the rarest among the rare fruits [1]. We have three copies of Putt Myra forest garden, but it is probably a decade to go before they will set fruit for the first time.
When I was visiting a friend outside Gothenburg, I received a taste of my first Shipova, from his trees began to bear fruit 14 years after planting. The fruit was almost spherical, with yellow-orange peel and without seeds. It tasted sweet and juicy, and reminded the fact a lot of the tastiest sand pears (Pyrus pyrifolia), som ävenkallas nashipäron, I have eaten. These are unfortunately only hardy to zone II or III and thus ship above a good alternative to them. Ship above must be propagated vegetatively and we've seeded them on both ordinary rowan (Sorbus aucuparia), pear (Pyrus communis) and a dwarf pear rootstock called Pyro Dwarf, in the hope of speeding up the fruit set something. It should also be inoculated onto whitebeam (Sorbus intermedia).
Besides Shipova there are other pear hybrids and now it gets really messy. Sometimes said to plant Bollwillerpäron be the same as Shipova (such as here), but it is not. Bollwillerpäronet get small fruit and is a fruit that has quite a long history. It is already mentioned in documents from the 1500s and derives from the castle in the small town of Bollwiller in Alsace [2]. It has been kept alive over the centuries by the transfer of scions from one tree to another. The fruits are a few cm, has red skin and yellow flesh and the taste is described as pleasant and like pears. Unlike Shipova produces Bollwillerpäronet a cored and seeds, but most of them tend to be sterile.
Another kind one can encounter called 'Smokvarka', whose name means "fikonlik”. In all probability, however, it is identical to Shipova.
Another intriguing hybrid is kind Baciu II, coming from an experimental cultivation in Baciu outside the city of Cluj-Napoca in Romania. Although it is believed to be a hybrid between snöpäron (Pyrus nivalis) and whitebeam (Sorbus aria). Its fruits are in terms of size in between Shipova and Bollwillerpäron.
The question then is how to get the plants. I have found three nurseries in Europe that have one or more of these in its range and all send to Sweden:
http://www.manfredhans.de/Bollweilerbirne
http://www.garden-shopping.de/shop/artikel_2299.html
https://www.praskac.at/obst/sonst-obst
If you have any of these in your garden and got fruit? Get in touch with me, I want to know more!
References
[1] Reich, L. and L. Reich, Uncommon fruits for every garden. Portland: Timber Press, 2008.
[2] Wimmer, IT., The Boll Weiler pear × Sorbopyrus irregularis (Münchh.) C.A.Wimm. : History and nomenclature Zandera, 29(2): p. 58-69, 2014.
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A tree – Sorbopyrus auricularis – Bollwiller pear grows in the Botanical Garden in Oslo, it bears mostly annually and richly. A branch is planted at Torblå in Ulvik – Norway, have not borne fruit yet (ca 15 years) Sorbopyrus cf bulbiformis , is also planted in Ulvik and has not yet borne fruit.
Thanks for the comment Geir! Do you possibly have a picture of the fruits on the tree in Oslo? It would be interesting to compare with what the variety Shipova looks like.
All's Well!
/Philipp
Sorbopyrus auricularis – “roe bulb” in Oslo – I do not have a picture of. But after the memory, then the pears are in clusters like roe / azalea berries (rowan / oxel-). They look exactly alike on the small bulbs left in the illustration here on your blog, possibly a little more color yellow red, possibly slightly more tapered toward the stem end, but it can certainly vary by year and how big is klasene….. I believe that it is the same clone…
Jeg har også observert Sorbopyrus auricularis i botanisk hage, Oslo. Som Geir sier er fruktene små og likner veldig på bollwillerpærene på bildet ditt. Jeg tok med meg 3 frø som nå spirer i vinduskarmen. Frøene kan jo være et resultat av pollinering fra andre trær, så det blir interessant å se hva slags karakteristikker planten har når den blir større.
Jeg tenkte å forsøke og ta podekvist fra treet neste år og pode på et eller flere etablerte pæretrær. Kanskje er det mulig å fremskynde bæring av frukt på denne måten.
You have obviously been more thorough in your investigation of the bulbs. I have thought that they were sterile, – and not once tried to look for viable seeds, – – it should now be attempted. Moreover, the attempted propagated forward with grafting bulb basic element.. The observation is a good starting point to try processing the more dwarf forms…
the best one is apparently called tatarka.
It was grown in the botanical gardens of prag by a mister tatar using seeds of the bollwiller pear.
It is supposed to be better than normal bollwiller and shipova and all the others.
I found one internet site saying that. I have a friend in tcheque republic who grows it.
He says it’s very sweet and juicy. He sent me grafts. It grows in my place but no fruit yet.
Philip
Hi Philip,
that’s really interesting, I’ve never heard about that cultivar before. Apparently the name ‘Tatarova hrušeň’ is used more commonly than ‘Tatarka’. Quite a few nurseries are selling it. Do you know any source of scionwood or could your friend send some to Sweden? Would be very interesting to trial that cultivar up here. Many thanks!
/Philipp
Yes we can exchange grafts if you want. I myself would be interested in your shipova. Write me an email if you want.
Have you read this:
https://www.agroforestry.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/site-files-pdf/AGN_sample.pdf
Interesting and lot of info not else readily available,
one reference is jordmandel.se
this ref is not working….
I hang on – and is interested in twigs / scions -budding material if possible. Maybe I can share seeds from the Bolwiller pear if that is of interest… By now I have some Sorbus x hostii fruits and seeds…
I have in Romania a 6 year old Sorbopyrus Auricularia cv bulbiformis grafted in crataegus monogina that set fruit this year. Fruits are located in clusters, with yellow alin and yellow pulpa.The trece is suite healthy excepting minor problems with erwinia amylovora.
Hej alliupa !
Hej alla! Jag är intresserad av sorbopyrus. Jag bor i Sverige, men jag kan inte hitta denna planta till salu. Kan jag komma överens med någon om ympris på hösten för att ympa på min päron ? Om någon har ett mogen träd och ska beskära det, kan du skicka det till mig? Min e-post olsurb@gmail.com
Hi. I believe that the “Tatarka” And “Shipova” Are very the same. Tatarova hrušeň Is called after Mr. Tatar, but he himself used to refer to the tree as to the “dog rose pear” -“Hagenbutenbirne” – in Czech as to “šípová hrušeň” (novadays Czech “šípková”). “Šípová” transcripts to English as “Shipova”. And, besides the lingvistic, they are looking the same too 🙂
Hi, very interesting, thanks for your comment!
Hello. I saw your comment. I have both Shipova and Tatarka grafted.
I have reason to believe they are not identical.
Vigour is different and the leaves on both are slightly different.
Otherwise they look very similar.
Hello,
here is more information and some pictures.
permabreed.blogspot.com
https://permabreed.blogspot.com/2025/04/sorbopyrus-mystery.html