200-year-old pear tree in Croatia still bears fruit – every other year

VARAŽDINSKE TOPLICE, Croatia – A rare pear tree believed to be more than 200 years old is still producing fruit on Gradec hill near Varaždinske Toplice in northern Croatia, where it has become a living part of the area’s natural and agricultural heritage.

The old Tepka pear tree stands nearly 20 metres tall and is considered particularly remarkable for its age, size and resilience. Despite having survived for more than two centuries, it continues to produce fragrant and sweet fruit, although only every other year.

Local families have gathered beneath the tree for generations.

Ana Bujanec, who remembers the tree from her childhood, tells HRT her mother used to pick and dry its pears, which were then used to make tea.

The Tepka pear was once an important food source in rural households. Dried and ground pears were used in bread and cakes, while fresh and dried fruit was also used for compotes and other traditional preparations.

Local fruit grower Darko Bujanec said the variety is particularly resistant to diseases and difficult weather conditions.

According to local tradition, the pear trees were planted following an order attributed to Empress Maria Theresa, who is said to have encouraged households to plant at least one Tepka pear tree as a way of helping prevent hunger.

The story also offers an explanation for the variety’s unusual name. According to the local account, households that failed to plant a tree risked being “pretepeni”, beaten, giving rise to the name Tepka.

Today, only a small number of these old pear trees remain in the area, and none is considered as imposing as the Gradec specimen.

The historic tree produces around one tonne of pears when it bears fruit. Its fruiting pattern has also been closely observed by the family caring for it. Bujanec says that during the current decade it has produced crops in even-numbered years, including 2022, 2024 and 2026.

The pears are also being given a modern use while preserving traditional methods. For several years, Bujanec has produced an organic traditional pear brandy from the fruit, following an old recipe. The product has received awards at major competitions.

The survival of the old Tepka variety has become a priority for local growers. New young trees are being cultivated from the remaining specimens in an effort to ensure that the traditional variety does not disappear.

The tree on Gradec hill is therefore more than an old fruit tree. It represents a link between Croatia’s rural past and present, preserving traditional food production, local stories and a variety that has survived for generations.