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Distribution: This is an extremely variable type. It is native to northeastern China. I found it in the foot hills and mountains to the west and north of Peking. Mr. F.N. Meyer had found it in the mountains in Poshan in central Shantung Province. The trees are comparatively rare and usually occur as isolated specimens. This type has given rise to a small number of cultivated varieties, and to a good many seedlings which are grown in a limited way in the orchards of North China. All of these varieties and cultivates seedlings pass under the general name 'Tang Li'. Only one of these, the Tang Li grown at Malanyu and in the Panshan district is really worthy of a varietal name. It is medium to large in size, russet in color, with hard flesh, and of poor quality.

Botany: After a careful study in the field in north China, and of the seedlings grown from it at this Experimental Station, I am of the opinion that this is not a distinct or well-defined species, but that it is simply a group of hybrids between other species. The following facts support this view: It is var more variable in form of tree, character of branches, character, form and margin of leaf, size, form, and character of furit, and number of seed cells, than any distinct species of Pyrus that I have studied. This group includes forms which in general can be classed as intermediate between P. betulaefolia and P. ussuriensis... The best evidence of hybridity, however, is revealed in the seedlings of this type. A considerable number of seedlings have been grown from three distinct and typical strains in this group... In each lot part of them resemble the seedlings of P. ussuriensis, part those of P. betulaefolia, and part are intermediate between these two species. -- F.C. Reimer. 1919. Report of a trip to the Orient to collect and study Oriental Pears.

This clone came from the Southern Oregon Experiment Station, and is probably a seedling from Reimer's collection in China.

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.

I regard this as the most promising Oriental variety ever introduced into this country. While the variety is good enough to introduce and grow just as it is, it may prove of even greater value for breeding purposes. This variety certainly contains considerable P. ussuriensis blood. It may have derived solely from that species, although it appears to be a hybrid between this and some other species. Judging from this, we should expect it to shoe a high degree of resistance to pear blight, and should prove valuable in breeding new blight resistant varieties. Inoculation experiments have shown that it blights in the young shoots but appears to be very resistant in the older wood. Judging from its parentage, it should also prove valuable in breeding hardy varieties for cold regions. The tree is a vigorous, rather spreading grower. -- F.C. Reimer. 1919. Report of a trip to the Orient to collect and study Oriental pears.