Why Do People Hate Bradford Pear Trees?

The Callery pear, Pyrus calleryana, is an Asian pear tree variety. In the United States, we best know the Callery as its most widely-planted cultivar: the Bradford pear. 

The Bradford pear was first planted in the U.S. by the federal Department of Agriculture in Maryland in the mid-1960s. At the time, it was considered an excellent new option for ornamental landscaping. It's a colorful, attractive tree that grows quickly and easily in varying soil types. 

First lady Ladybird Johson planted a Bradford Pear in downtown Washington, D.C., and proclaimed, "Few trees possess every desired attribute, but the Bradford ornamental pear comes unusually close to the ideal."

Since then, the Bradford pear's reputation has plummeted. It's now one of North America's most detested trees. 

Bradford Pear Trees Smell Bad

The Bradford pear belongs to the rose family of flowering plants. So, it would be reasonable to expect some pleasant-smelling flowers. At the very least, you'd hope for a neutral smell. 

Unfortunately, Bradfords are one of the few trees that have achieved notoriety for exuding a truly offensive odor. 

The smell comes from the pretty white flowers that bloom in the spring. It's an aroma most often compared to fish, or, more specifically, rotting fish. 

The rotting smell likely comes from the amines trimethylamine and dimethylamine. It's thought that the tree emits these scent compounds to attract beetles and flies that can serve as pollinators. 

Bradford Pear Trees Have Weak Branches

Bradford pears are fast-growing, disease-resistant, and develop a stable symmetrical shape. However, they have a major structural flaw that impairs their practicality as an ornamental species: weak branches. 

Folks living among lots of Bradford pear trees are used to the same sight after every storm--lawns, streets, and sidewalks littered with fallen branches. 

The problem is caused by weak branch unions. Limbs grow thin, without a durable connection to the trunk. As the branches grow, they're prone to snapping and splitting under the weight they support.

During heavy storms, many of a Bradford pear's weak branches give way, and often even the trunk or primary branches may break off or split open. 

Bradford Pear Trees Are an Invasive Species

Despite its flaws, the Bradford pear would likely remain somewhat in favor if not for its worst offense: it's a rapidly spreading, harmful, invasive species. 

Bradford pear trees are native to Vietnam and China, and thus are non-native in North America. Being non-native is not necessarily problematic; many non-native plants and trees are used for ornamental landscaping and other purposes without causing trouble.

However, Bradford pear is considered an invasive species. According to the National Park Service, a non-native species is invasive if it "causes harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health." 

Over time, ecologists and other experts formed a broad consensus that Bradford pear is an invasive species. 

Originally, Bradford pears planted in the U.S. were hybrid cultivars that couldn't, in theory, reproduce. However, a wide variety of cultivars were planted in massive volume, which led to cross-pollination and the production of viable seeds. 

Birds and other wildlife have developed a taste for Bradford pear fruit. As a result, seeds are spread far and wide. Bradford pears have proven adaptable and dominant in many habitats where their seeds are deposited. As a fast-growing, resilient, non-native species, these trees outcompete native species, leading to ecological decline. 

Bradford pears are now a common sight throughout much of the U.S., including the Southeast, Northeast, and Midwest. You'll see them not only in landscaped front yards but as invasive intruders in many wild landscapes.

What to Plant Instead of a Bradford Pear

If you're looking for an ornamental tree to plant, you've got lots of options besides the invasive Bradford pear. You'll be doing your community and local ecosystems a favor by choosing a native species. 

What to plant in place of a Bradford pear depends on where you're located, but there are lots of wonderful, attractive, native trees that can serve as ornamentals but don't smell bad, fall apart during storms, or harm local ecosystems. Some, like downy serviceberry, will even provide edible fruit.  

A few other great choices that grow in much of the continental U.S. include:

•   Redbud 

•   Sweet crabapple

•   Flowering dogwood

If you're not sure what to plant, find your community's native plant experts. Local colleges, environmental groups, garden centers, and government agencies are all likely to provide recommendations and maybe even free starter plants. 

The Bradford pear won't be cleared out of the country any time soon, but its sale is already banned in several states and discouraged just about everywhere. 

Next time you're deciding on a tree to plant, pass on the Bradford pear and opt for a native species instead. 

For more information on tree planting and removal contact Kingkiner Tree Service and let us know how we can help you!