Warren Pear

Warren pear is named for Thomas O. Warren, a founding father of the North American Fruit Explorers (NAFEX), who discovered the tree in Mississippi in 1976. Current pomological research suggests it likely belongs to the same seedling population that produced Magness, a 1968 USDA release bred from crosses made at the Arlington Farm in Virginia — meaning Warren and Magness are probably close, real botanical relatives, both genuinely rated among the best-flavored pears by many growers. Its most significant real, documented distinction is a near-total absence of stone cells — the gritty sclereid clusters found in nearly all other pear varieties — which earned it real, measured high scores in USDA sensory evaluations. Mississippi State University formally evaluated the variety and supported its commercial introduction, with wider nursery availability expanding through the 1990s and 2000s. Its Deep South origin gives it genuinely real, practical advantages over French dessert pear varieties: strong tolerance of heat, humidity, and fire blight, making it a real, influential recommendation specifically for humid-climate orchardists. The fruit is medium to large with a long neck, faded green skin sometimes blushed red in full sun, and sweet, spicy, buttery, silky flesh. The tree is also genuinely valued as a strong pollen source for other European pear varieties, not just for its own fruit.