Bradford Pear Pyrus calleryana
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PY-russ kal-lee-ree-AH-nah
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
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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
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Aristocrat'
stronger crotches but is fire blight susceptible - 'Autumn Blaze'
more narrow form - 'Bradford'
most fire blight resistant - 'Capital'
more narrow form - 'Chanticleer'
- 'Invasive'
- 'Redspire'
more narrow form - 'Whitehouse'
more narrow form
- 'Aristocrat'
- 'Aristocrat', 'Autumn Blaze', 'Bradford', 'Capital', 'Chanticleer', 'Invasive', 'Redspire', 'Whitehouse'
- Tags:




















































- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Aristocrat'
stronger crotches but is fire blight susceptible - 'Autumn Blaze'
more narrow form - 'Bradford'
most fire blight resistant - 'Capital'
more narrow form - 'Chanticleer'
- 'Invasive'
- 'Redspire'
more narrow form - 'Whitehouse'
more narrow form
- 'Aristocrat'
- 'Aristocrat', 'Autumn Blaze', 'Bradford', 'Capital', 'Chanticleer', 'Invasive', 'Redspire', 'Whitehouse'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Pyrus
- Species:
- calleryana
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China and Taiwan
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- This tree is mildly resistant to damage by deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 20 ft. 0 in. - 43 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 20 ft. 0 in. - 30 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
- Appendage:
- Thorns
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Pome
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Small, inedible russet colored orbicular pomes (1/2" in diameter) which are of little practical value or ornamental use and have a brown pit.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Corymb
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Saucer
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers have 5 petals, are white, showy, foetid, and less than an inch in size. Inflorescence is corymbose, 2", and borne on spurs.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, simple, ovate, acuminate, glossy, rotund to broad cuneate or subcordate or truncate, crenate, dark green and glabrous, and coriaceous. Leaves have a red to maroon fall coloration. The crenate margins are rounded to an acute base.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Dark Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Ridged and furrowed becoming blocky with age often has tight croches that cause problems.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Hairy
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- Flowers buds are large, ovoid, elongate, bluntly acute, have wooly grayish-brown scales, are terminal, and hairy. Twigs are stout, initially white pubescent and mature to a smooth, shiny brown.
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Landscape:
- Design Feature:
- Flowering Tree
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Deer
- Drought
- Heat
- Pollution
- Poor Soil
- Urban Conditions
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Malodorous
- Short-lived
- Weedy