Plant in full sun with regular watering. Is hardy to moderate frost and considered useful in USDA Zones 8 through 10 but will go deciduous in the colder locations. Can be trained as a broad, sprawling shrub or multi-trunked small tree that is good for courtyards, patios and gardens. Established, well-shaped plants need little pruning and heavily pruned trees seldom flower. Unfortunately this tree is occasionally infected with Fire Blight (caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora) that usually kills off branches and eventually the entire plant.

Pyrus kawakamii grows naturally in Taiwan and China and its correct name is thought by some to actually to be Pyrus taiwanensis as the name Pyrus kawakamii, as originally applied, is considered to be a synonym of the Callery Pear, Pyrus calleryana, which this plant differs from greatly - the main difference being that in our climate Pyrus kawakamii is an evergreen tree while all cultivars of Pyrus calleryana are deciduous. Current treatment by Kew on their Plants of the World Online is that the name Pyrus taiwanensis is an "Unplaced Names" defined as a name that cannot be accepted, nor put into synonymy". The name for the genus is the Latin word for pear and the specific epithet is in reference to a town in central Japan. We grew this popular grafted small tree from 1980 to 2009. 

The information about Pyrus kawakamii displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.