Yellow Pear
Solanum lycopersicum 'Yellow Pear'
A charming heirloom cherry tomato dating back to the 1800s, producing abundant clusters of bright yellow, pear-shaped fruits that are as decorative as they are delicious. This prolific variety is beloved by children and adults alike for its sweet, mild flavor and unique teardrop shape that adds visual interest to any garden or salad.
Harvest
75-80d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Yellow Pear in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Yellow Pear · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | May – July |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Water: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
The fruits are smooth, shiny, glossy, and are classified as berries. The size, shape, and color will vary depending on the variety or cultivar. The color of the fruits may be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or pink. The fruits may contain over 100 yellow to light brown seeds.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Yellow Pear tomatoes keep best at room temperature for 3-5 days, where they'll continue to develop full flavor. Only refrigerate fully ripe fruits you can't use immediately, storing them in the crisper drawer for up to one week. Cold storage diminishes their sweet flavor, so bring refrigerated fruits to room temperature before eating.
For preservation, Yellow Pears excel at freezing whole for later use in cooked dishes - simply wash, dry, and freeze in single layers before transferring to bags. Their low water content makes them ideal for oven-drying; halve the fruits and dehydrate at 135°F for 8-12 hours until leathery. They also create beautiful golden preserves and pickles, maintaining their shape well due to their naturally firm texture and minimal cracking tendency.
History & Origin
Yellow Pear represents one of the oldest tomato varieties still grown today, with documentation dating back to the 1700s in Europe. This heirloom likely originated from the small wild tomatoes of South America, selected over centuries for its distinctive pear shape and prolific production. The variety was particularly treasured in colonial American gardens, where its reliability and continuous harvest made it valuable for feeding families.
Thomas Jefferson grew Yellow Pear tomatoes at Monticello, and the variety appears in American seed catalogs as early as the 1820s. Its enduring popularity stems from being nearly foolproof to grow and exceptionally productive, making it a staple in kitchen gardens across diverse climates. The variety has remained essentially unchanged through centuries of cultivation, a testament to its well-adapted genetics.
Unlike many modern cherry tomatoes bred for shipping and uniformity, Yellow Pear was selected purely for home garden performance and flavor, explaining its continued success among home gardeners who prize taste and productivity over perfect appearance.
Advantages
- +Attracts: Bees, Pollinators, Predatory Insects
- +Wildlife value: The plant is pollinated by bees, especially bumblebees.
- +Edible: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Leaves, Stems): Medium severity
- -High maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids and whiteflies, may improve tomato flavor
Marigold
Deters nematodes and aphids with natural compounds
Nasturtium
Acts as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Carrots
Loosens soil around tomato roots and doesn't compete for nutrients
Chives
Repels aphids and may reduce fungal diseases
Borage
Attracts pollinators and may deter tomato hornworms
Lettuce
Benefits from tomato shade and efficient use of garden space
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone which is toxic to tomatoes and causes wilting
Brassicas
Compete heavily for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Fennel
Inhibits growth of tomatoes through allelopathic compounds
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #169118)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Generally hardy with good disease tolerance for an heirloom
Common Pests
Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, birds (love the sweet fruit)
Diseases
Early blight, late blight, minimal cracking due to small size