Ya Li (English Translation = Duck Pear) (PI 506362).--Orig. unknown. Old cultivar from Northeast China. Fruit: large, 70 mm diam., 82 mm long, globular-pyriform, neck may be obscure; light green to yellow, clean, waxy, small lenticels, free of russet; white flesh is crisp, juicy, sweet, fragrant; stem curved, often fleshy and off-center; ripe mid-late September in Oregon; stores 24 weeks. Tree: large, upright, vigorous, very early bloom, requires early pollinator. Cold hardy yet low chilling requirement, about 350-500 hours. - Brooks and Olmo Register of Fruit and Nut Varieties.Ya Li is commonly cultivated in Shansi, Hopeh, Shantung, and Honan Provinces of Northeastern China. The tree is large, vigorous, spreading, dense, and productive. The bark is smooth with dark, greenish-brown under-color overlaid with thin, shedding, grayish-white cork tissue. Petioles of young leaves may have one or more needle-like stipules on ventral side near the base of the blade that slough off as the leaves age. Ya Li cultivar is self-incompatible and self-unfruitful in most years. It requires cross-pollination to yield fruits at commercial magnitude. Such cross-pollination can be accomplished with Twentieth Century, Kikusui, Chojuro, Bartlett, Shinseiki, or Tsu Li to yield good fruit-sets.