Red Comice - review

I think I've been a bit disparaging about Red Comice as a desert pear in the past, so I'm prepared to eat my words. They are superb, the skins are thin and without bitterness, the flesh is like a normal Comice, but rather richer. I think I should have picked them a tad earlier, as some are going a little floury and soft in the middle, but still superb.

Crop: Red Comice

This is the first year when Comice has produced a full crop, very good quality with large fruits, total over 5kg, the largest few weighing in at about .5kg or 1lb each! These are my great hope for the village show next Sunday. I usually like to pick the night before, but the danger of damage from the mini-hurricane that is predicted tomorrow is too great. I hope they won't look too tired after a week in storage.

Red comice

Just thought I'd add these photos as they looked so beautiful in the rain today. I think these should look stunning at the local hort. show next months. The espalier has fruited really well this year, fruit size is very good despite dry location and drought season.

Red Comice

Only a single fruit again this year, but the espalier is beginning to spur up nicely so maybe croppin will take of next year?

Blossom - red comice

The red buds open creamy white, against bronze foliage. This young espalier is starting to spur up nicely this year, having been rather delicate in habit previously.

Blossom - red Comice

Foliage: Red Comice

Not as highly coloured as the spring foliage or it's neighbours Fondante d'Automne and Beurré Hardy, but still a nice, even mid-orange hue. There are quite a few Nerine Bowdenii growing nearby, obscured in this photograph. Not really sure whether the dark pink complements or clashes with the foliage colour!

Red Comice Espalier.

Having previously had to remove the top Bartlett pear from the tier of this espalier (seem bottom pic), I'm pleased that the remaining Red Comice has made enough growth to tie in another layer. As the extension growth wasn't very central I decided to train two uprights into a sort of U cordon-cum-espalier which will hopefully appear a little more symmetrical. I will replace the frame later in the year, and use a spirit level this time!

Red Comice - espalier

Having removed the top tier of this espalier, I'm really pleased to see strong extension growth in just about the right place to establish another tier to the espalier. I love the colour of this variety's foliage, almost a coral red maturing to bronze. It's particularly vibrant with the other colours in the front garden (Red shrub roses, valerian and Lysimachia ciliata 'Firecracker'. Cropping hasn't been terribly good so far, but I think it will improve with time.

Red Comice: blossom

I planted this one as I particularly wanted decorative foliage as the espalier is in my front garden. I later grafted on another layer of Max Red Bartlett, which also has red-tinted foliage and pink flowers (of more later). Both flower usually much later than the normal varieties. It's more delicate in growth than the normal Comice, but is spurring up nicely now and the growth is attractive and healthy.