Collected by F.C. Reimer in China in 1917.The name Hung Li means Red Pear. This term, of course, is very indefinite when applied to Chinese varieties of pears. In fact, there are a score of Chinese pears which are known by this name. The writer obtained scionwood of a least three varieties or strains all known as Hung Li. Any pear which possesses a red cheek may pass under the name Hung Li. The term, therefore, is so infefinite that one does not know what variety or type is being obtained unless one actually sees the trees and the fruit on the tree.
The most common type of Hung Li produces fruit of medium size, roundish in shape, with a yellow background and a red cheek on the sunny side, and a shiny skin. The calyx is deciduous. The flesh is hard, possesses a sub-acid flavor, and is not of very high quality. It is a remarkable keeper, and the fruit under favorable conditions will shrivel and dry up and seldom rot. The tree is a vigorous grower. The botany of this variety, in fact almost the entire group has been a puzzle. A careful study leads me to the conclusion that this is a hybrid group with P. ussuriensis as one of the parents.
One very interesting and apparently very valuable variety was obtained near Malanyu under the name Hung Li. I did not see the fruit on this tree as it had all been picked and shipped when I visited the orchard. The leaves show the typical margins of P. ussuriensis, although the shape of the leaf is somewhat different. The young trees in the nursery are very vigorous growers. This variety has proved a perfect marvel in its ability to resist pear blight. Repeated inoculations on various dates and the virulent cultures have failed entirely in most instances. In some cases these were successful in the very tender and very vigorous growing tips and would blight down for a distance of two or three inches and then stop. No other cultivated variety so far tested in our entire collection has proved as resistant as this one. A splendid stand was also obtained in grafting this variety. Every effort is now being made to force this variety into early bearing, and we shall study with great interest the character of the fruit.
-- F.C. Reimer. 1919. Report of trip to the Orient to collect and study Oriental pears.