Plant
Birch-leaved Pear
Pyrus betulifoliaAlso known as Birchleaf Pear, Birch-Leaf Pear, Tang Li
Birch-leaved pears form resilient, thorny trees native to the mountain forests and valleys of northern and central China. Their slender foliage closely resembles that of birch trees, paired in spring with clusters of snowy white blossoms that yield tiny, hard brown fruits. Highly valued in agriculture, these rugged plants serve as dependable rootstock for cultivated Asian pears across eastern Asia.
ThornyDeciduousFlowering Tree
—observations
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—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySunlight, Water, Soil nutrients
Predators
- Herbivorous insects
- Browsing mammals
- Fruit-eating birds
ThreatsHabitat loss, agricultural clearance
HabitatsTemperate forests, mountain slopes, thickets, valleys
Life span50–100 years
Classification
- FamilyRosaceae
- SpeciesPyrus betulifolia
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Wild fruits have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Spring Bloom: Look for dense white flower clusters appearing alongside emerging leaves in spring.
- Mind the Thorns: Exercise caution near branches as sharp, formidable spines protect the foliage.
- Cultivated Context: Often found in agricultural research plots and arboreta as rootstock trials.
Visual Similar (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Forest and Kim Starr, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Benjamin Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Grzegorz Grzejszczak, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Grzegorz Grzejszczak · cc-by-sa
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