''Pyrus betulifolia'', known as the Birchleaf pear in English and Tang li in Chinese, is a deciduous wild

pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the p ...

tree

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to the leafy forests of northern and central China and Tibet. It can grow 10 meters high in optimal conditions. Formidable thorns (which are modified stems) protect its leaves from predation. These narrow and extended leaves, resembling smaller birch leaves, provide it with its specific name ''betulifolia'', meaning "birch leaf". Its small fruit ( in diameter) are used as ingredients in types of rice wine in China and sake in Japan. It is used as

rootstock A rootstock is part of a plant, often an underground part, from which new above-ground growth can be produced. It could also be described as a stem with a well developed root system, to which a bud from another plant is grafted. It can refer to a ...

for

grafting Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion () while the lower part is called the rootstock. The succ ...

popular asian pear varieties.

References

Pears Pyrus Taxa named by Alexander von Bunge {{pyrus-stub