SUNRISE

About the Variety: Sunrise is an early-ripening, fire blight-resistant European pear developed through the same cooperative disease-resistant fruit breeding effort (PRI) that produced Enterprise, Liberty, and other resistant apples. It fills a role similar to the Harrow-series pears but ripens notably earlier, extending the pear season into late summer.

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Fruit Description: Medium yellow-green pears with smooth skin, sometimes lightly russeted. Flesh is white, juicy, and moderately buttery when ripened. Flavor is mild and sweet, less complex than later-season pears but pleasant and refreshing for an early pear.

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Harvest Window for Cincinnati/Southern Ohio: Mid to Late August

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Ripeness Indicators: CRITICAL: Pick firm and ripen off the tree.

• Pick when background color begins shifting from green to yellow-green

• Fruit separates easily with a gentle lift

• After harvest: ripen at room temperature 5-8 days until the neck softens

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Disease Resistance:

• Good resistance to fire blight, consistent with its PRI breeding lineage

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Best Uses:

• Fresh eating: good early-season option

• Canning: suitable for early preserving projects

• Storage: short, best used within a few weeks of ripening

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How to Share This Fruit: Sunrise is your season-opener pear. Pair it with Pristine apples and Shinsui or Redfree for a "first fruits of late summer" event in mid-to-late August, well before the main September and October pear varieties come in.