Parentage: Pear (General Le Clerc) x Asian Pear

Description: Benita Rafzas is the first hybrid cross we know to be introduced and has the perfect combination of the crispness of the Asian pear with the finer flavours of a normal eating pear. It has cropped quite regularly in our trial orchards for the last 10 years, creating large, attractive golden yellow fruit showing occassional fine russet bloom and a perfectly round to oval shape. Exceptional for its crisp texture and mellow sweet flavour. The fruits can be eaten fresh or kept in the fridge for months. Very popular for it's disease resistance and hardiness. Will cross pollinate both pear and Asian pears in the same or overlapping flowering periods.

History: Raised in the 1980s by Peter Hauenstein of Rafz, Switzerland.

Pollination Partners: Pear Beth Pear Conference Pear Louise Bonne of Jersey Pear Moonglow Pear Packham's Triumph Pear Williams Bon Chretien