The unknown pear from Lake Talcot has been identified! I’ve seen it for years, and have never known what it is. The best term I ever found was “immigrant pear”, because it was something early immigrants brought over as animal feed. Chasing a lead down the rabbit hole today, I finally found it. I give you…
Pyrus pyraster, the European Wild Pear! It’s believed to be the ancestor of most domesticated pears. Whoever settled the site brought some seeds along. There are also eating pears, canning pears, and an apple tree out there, so they had a LOT of fruit on hand!