Little GRC Pear

The Little GRC Pear is a small dessert pear that will ripen right on the tree. 

It was found growing on the campus of the historic Glenwood Resource Center (GRC). Opened in 1866 and once known as the Iowa Institution for Feeble-Minded Children, the GRC had its own orchard and greenhouses. Several pear and apple trees can still be found on the campus. The Little GRC Pear tree on the GRC campus appears to be approximately 30 to 40 years old. 

When fully ripened on the tree it has a very sweet honey flavor. It’s a small snack sized pear but because of its sweetness it is also loved by wasps. Be careful when you’re picking! 

Hopefully someday genetic testing can give us the identity of this pear. A couple of potential candidates are the Seckel Pear and the Jesuit Pear.

Ripens early to mid-September.