Bradford Pear Pyrus calleryana

This plant is problematic and alternatives should be considered.  Please see the suggestions in the left-hand column or see this video created by Charlotte Glen as part of the Plants, Pests, and Pathogens series.

Bradford Pear is a dense, broadly pyramidal deciduous tree that grows up to 43'. It is a very common landscape plant, used frequently because of its rapid growth rate and tolerance to a variety of urban conditions, including drought, air pollution, and heat. It is also soil adaptable, but should be planted in full sun for blooms although it tolerates part shade. Additionally, it transplants easily and it is one of the first trees to bloom with white flowers, blooming profusely in the spring and covering the entire tree in white blooms. However, its branches grow at upright angles with weak crotches that break with age, wind, and ice– each tree lasts only 10-20 years.  It is also considered an invasive species in the southeast. In the fall, this tree gives off colorful variable foliage but is one of the first trees to leaf out. Fruit is non-ornamental and hidden by the foliage.

Flowers at peak smell like a decaying animal and many persons encountering this odor will wrinkle their nose, pinch it, and begin to look around on the ground. This plant is used as a temporary specimen tree (10-20 years) in residential sites, commercial sites, school grounds, and malls. In malls at peak, customers have been observed getting out of their cars, reacting to the odor, getting back in their cars, and driving off.

The cultivar 'Bradford' has strongly ascending branches, and is narrower than typical selections of callery pear. It also develops tight crotches that are likely to be split in half by heavy wind and rain storms. Leaves are suborbicular as L/W ratio is nearly 1. Typical memebers of callery pears have more spreading branches and some leaves with L/W ratios near 2. 'Bradford' is regarded as relatively pest and disease free, whereas species is very susceptible to fireblight. A study was reported of an experiment on the NC State University campus, where 6 'Bradford' trees were inoculated with the organism that causes fireblight. Each tree developed fireblight, thus the conclusion was that 'Bradford' was not resistant. However, all 6 trees existing on the campus at that time were misidentified callery pears, not a 'Bradford' cultivar. 

Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems:  Limb breakage is common due to poor crotch angles and it is often a very short-lived tree.  This is a weedy to invasive species, that can spread fireblight to other Rosaceous crops, so consider planting a different tree.

Quick ID Hints:

• Scalloped leaves are dark green, shiny, leathery, and ovate
• White foetid flowers on pins in very early spring
• Deciduous tree is dense and narrow pyramidal
• Leaves appear very early after blooms and are suborbicular
• Buds are elongate, wooly, and gray-pubescent 

VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Jeana Myers, Horticulture Extension Agent for NC State Extension