Apples, Pears, Quinces & Rose Hips.
Roses
Magnolias
The cultivated apple originated in Central Asia, around Kazakhstan, where it's wild ancestor (Malus sylvestris) can still be found today. China grows 35% of world production and the US, where apples were introduced by European colonists, is second with 7.5%
There are over 7500 known varieties of apple, the ones listed here are ones commonly available in Southern California. Nearly all are grown in the Pacific Northwest, particularly Washington state, where the weather gets cold enough to set fruit properly.
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Braeburn - [PLU 4103 (large) 4101 (small)]
Cameo - [PLU 3066 (large 3065 (small))]
Crab Apple
Fuji - [PLU 4131 (large)]
Granny Smith - [PLU 4017 (large)]
Jonagold - [PLU 4145 (small)]
Lady Apple
Red Delicious [PLU 4015 (small)]
At best they are crisp and juicy, moderately sweet, but
have little flavor. At worst they are dry, pasty and flavorless. They
also don't cook well. They are subject to freeze damage when the flesh
will be discolored and slightly translucent. The photo specimens were
typically 2.9 inches diameter and weighed 6-5/8 ounces - this is the
"small" size. Large ones run about 3-1/4 inches diameter and weight
about 10 ounces.
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An excellent eating apple in my opinion, sweet/tart with good
flavor complexity. The photo specimens, "large braeburn", were typically
3-1/4 inch in diameter and weighed 10 ounces.
A crisp, medium sweet apple with good apple flavor and a very small
core. Excellent for salads. The photo specimens, "large cameo", were
typically 3-1/4 inches in diameter and weighed 9 ounces.
These are not real crab apples, but that's the name they're
marketed under. Real crab apples are extremely tart and these taste just
like regular domestic apples. Rather small and expensive for eating out
of hand but a good size for salads. The photo specimens ranged from 1-1/4
to 1-3/4 inches diameter and weighed between 5/8 and 1-1/4 ounce.
This Japanese style apple is now quite popular here in both "large" and
"small" sizes. It has silky, sweet flesh and light apple flavor. A
quite pleasant snack apple. It can be stored at room temperature or
(longer) refrigerated for longer periods than most other apple varieties.
The photo specimens were the "large" size, typically 3.9 inches diameter
and weighed 13-1/2 ounces.
This is the standard cooking apple, firm and tart. It can be stored
at room temperature or (longer) refrigerated for longer periods than most
other apple varieties. The photo specimens were the "large" size,
typically 3.6 inches diameter and weighed 10-1/2 ounces. "Small" and
"lady" sizes are also available.
A good eating apple, almost crisp, sweet-tart with good apple flavor.
The photo specimens were the "large" size (back), typically 2.9 inches
diameter and weighed 11-1/8 ounces and "small" (front) 2.9 inches diameter
and weighed 5-3/4 ounces..
Miniature versions of a number of apples now have the "lady" designation,
but this one seems to be the one sold without additional qualifiers, at
least around here. They are firm and tart, but not as tart as Granny
Smith (for which there is also a "lady" version).
The photo specimens were typically 2.1 inches diameter and weighed 2 ounces.
This was once the dominant apple available in stores - until growers in
the Pacific Northwest discovered that people actually wanted apples with
more apple flavor. These are easily recognizable by their perfect intense
red color and pointy shape.Pears - [nashpati (India), Pyrus species]
Pears are thought to have originated in Central Asia, but have been in European cultivation for something like 10,000 years.
Pears are not allowed to ripen on the tree because they will become gritty and won't sweeten well. Fully ripe pears are also so tender shipping would be a real problem, Buy them fairly firm and let them ripen on the counter. The exception is Asian pears (including Yali) which do sweeten on the tree.
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These pears are available in two colors, yellow and brown. Compared
to Western pears these have crisp, grainy flesh and a high water content
and are apple shaped rather than pear shaped. They are commonly served
raw and peeled, but are also used ground as sweetener in sauces and for
marinades, particularly for beef. Unlike Western pears these pears
become sweet on the tree.
Bosc Pear - [beurre Bosc, Kaiser Alexander,
PLU 4413 (large), 4026 (small), P. communis]
Bosc pears are unusual in that they become sweet and ready to eat while
still very firm. Check ripeness by finding some give to thumb pressure at
the stem end. Because it's flesh is firm and aromatic this is considered
an excellent cooking pear. The photo specimens were typically
2-5/8 inches in diameter, 4 inches long and weighed 6-1/2 ounces, but
they do get larger - these were marked PLU 4026 "Small Bosc". These
pears do not change color as they ripen - available September through
April.
Forella Pear - [PLU 4418, P. communis]
They start out green with red blush and freckles. The red stays but
the green background turns to yellow as they ripen. Green, the flesh is
very hard without much flavor. The photo specimens were typically 2.2
inches in diameter and weighed 3-3/8 ounces. Available
from September through February.
Yali Pear - [Ya Li (China), China White Pear,
P. x bretschneideri or possibly a subspecies of
P. pyrifolia]
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Originally known as Beurr d' Anjou, this pear is thought to have originated
near Anjers, France.
d'Anjous are excellent cooking pears when used before they are completely
ripe. Fully ripe they are good for snacks and salads.
These pears do not change color as they ripen - available October through
June.
These pears have become quite common and affordable in markets now that
they are grown commercially in Southern California orchards. In Korean
grocery markets here you can buy much more expensive ones shipped from
Korea and claimed to be superior.
This is the most commonly used pear for canning, making into preserves
and chutneys and for drying. They are also a fine snack pear when ripe.
This pears change color from green to bright yellow it ripens - available
August through January.
Originally from Belgium or France, this is a crisp pear of moderate
sweetness with a very small core (I usually just swallow the seeds rather
than bothering to core these). I consider this a fine eating pear and
it's usually inexpensive, but some may prefer a softer sweeter pear.
This is an excellent desert pear, juicy and sweet, and goes well with
cheese. It originated Angers, France in the mid 1800's but a red versions
were discovered in Medford Oregon between 1960 and 1970. Available
September through February.
These tiny pears originated in Germany and the name means "trout",
given for the freckles which are like those of the fish. They are in
limited production in the Pacific Northwest but available in some
Southern California produce markets when in season - but they are rather
high priced at about $1.99/# where regular pears are selling for $0.79/#.
"Red Pear" can refer to red skinned varieties of a number of different
pears that usually appear in green or yellow. The photo specimens are
red d'Anjou pears. Red Bartlets exist, though I haven't yet seen them
in markets, are a very brilliant red and have more of a neck than the
d'Anjous. A red version of the Comice was discovered in Oregon but is
not yet common in Southern California markets.
This is the smallest of all commercial pears and also the sweetest of
all pears. It was discovered near Philadelphia in the 1800s, ancestry
unknown. These pears are green, sometimes turning yellowish when ripe and
often having a dark red blush - which in some cases may cover
the entire pear. Hard ones should be ripened at room temperature until
they yield slightly to pressure. The photo specimens
were just under 2 inches diameter and weighed 2-1/2 ounces each and were
selected for the maximum range of color. Available September through
February. 
This pear seems an experiment to see just how much of a fruit can be water
and still have crisp flesh. Eating one of these is practically like
drinking. The flesh is, however, crisp and they are moderately sweet.
Unlike Quince - [Cydonia oblonga]
Originating probably in the Caucasus region, this fruit looks like a lumpy
Yellow apple. Eaten raw the flesh is medium sweet and perfumy but coarse and
more than a bit dry. so it is almost always used cooked. There is a sweet
variety that has been eaten raw since ancient times but it is not
available in the US.
The quince has been cultivated since prehistory, perhaps before apples. In fact the "apple" given by Paris to Aphrodite was actually a quince, mistranslated in later times. Actually, most "apples" in ancient legends are a mistranslation of quince.
Aside from being stewed, as was done in Roman times, it is made into jams and jellies, and often used to improve the flavor of applesauce and apple pies. With long cooking quince flesh becomes red.
Because of a bacterial blight problem quince is seldom grown in North
America and most for sale here are imported from Argentina. The photo
specimens were 3.4 inches diameter and weighed 10-1/4 ounces.