Pyrus betulifolia

The birchleaf pear is in the rose or Rosaceae family and is native to northern and central China. It grows up to a height of 10 m. It is used as rootstock for grafting popular Asian pear varieties.

• It has formidable thorns (which are modified stems) to protect its leaves from predation.
• Leaves are narrow and extended, rhomboidal-ovate or oblong-ovate, 4–8 cm long and 2.5–3.5 cm across, resembling some birch leaves; margin is serrate, apex pointed.
• Flowers are 1.5–2 cm in diameter. Petals white, broadly ovate, blooming in April.
• Fruit is small pome 5–11 mm in diameter, subglobose, brown with pale dots, ripening in August-September. It is used as ingredients in types of rice wine in China and sake in Japan.