March ANTI-Tree of the Month-Ornamental/Bradford Pear
A good indicator of a subdivision’s or development’s age is the type of tree planted en masse by the builder. Silver maples, sweet gums, crabapples, pin oaks, elms …These trees all took a turn at being planted for their fast growth and quick ‘curb appeal’ throughout our area during different decades. Some have decent traits like fall color, spring flowers, a pleasing habit/shape, no messy fruit, or the number one desired trait; they provide fast shade. Then there is the once-in-a-lifetime tree that comes along that, at first glance, HAS IT ALL! (I’m convinced that the adage, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” resulted from plant industry mishaps.)
It’s 2025, and surely, please tell me, we have all heard about the builder’s and homeowners dream tree, Pyrus calleryana ‘Bradford’ aka the Bradford pear, or sometimes called callery pear- the tree that really does have it all if you count a good dose of evil together with your good. The same tree I deem the leader of the four horsemen in the Biological Apocalypse. Why so harsh? Because Mother Nature has a similar adage, EVERYTHING comes with a price and our area is paying that high price back with ample interest.
Although it hit the market in the 1960s, it took a while to catch on. When compared to the other popular trees of that era, it stood out. A Bradford in full bloom is a stunner. The entire tree explodes with white flowers at a young age in early spring before the leaves emerge. Providing there isn’t a frost after we shoot up to 80f degrees in early spring, the flowers last up to two weeks, turning parking lots and subdivisions built in the 1980s and beyond into surreal Norman Rockwellic suburban dreamscapes.
At least that’s how it LOOKS. Next time you see a Bradford in full bloom, get close to those blooms, take a deep breath, and inhale the fragrance that smells like … well, rotten meat. WHAT? Yes, my dear, deceived friends, the primary pollinator for Bradfords is the fly … what do flies like? Rotten meat, which is where flies lay eggs. (which turn into maggots when they hatch!) So don’t feel too bad. The flies are deceived just as much as the humans.
Hmm.
That’s okay, flowers don’t last long, it’s the fall color that turns you on, right? Again, the Bradfords have equally stunning fall color. And it lasts for weeks with those thick leathery leaves!! Young seedlings will stay red well into January. Once fall arrives, take another close look at those leaves. What’s hiding among all that garnet-red leafy goodness? It’s FRUIT! Tiny, round fruits. One of the ‘pluses’ that helped to sell the Bradfords was that it was sterile and didn’t produce messy fruit! Again, another builder’s and homeowner’s DREAM smashed. Just like all that fruit all over your walks and driveways!
Alright, maybe the Bradford is best admired from a distance. That uniform, oval shape that cries out to be used in an allee of Bradfords lining a driveway in Chesterfield or a curving cul-de-sac in St. Charles. With a little age, the oval-shaped Bradford broadens a bit … just wide enough to hover over your parked car, your kid’s swing set, the neighbor’s new fence, or your pool … all these things that are otherwise known as TARGETS when the Bradford (AKA HAZARD TREE) splits. Note, I did not say “IF” it splits. If you leave your Bradford in the ground long enough, the densely branched trunk area where all those branches meet succumbs to the intense pressure of expanding growth. And just like a self-destruct button from Get Smart, eventually, the tree splits in half, thirds, quarters … just name your fraction. I can’t think of any other tree that offers more liability issues.
Now, we come to the worst issue about Bradford pears … that dark line that no sweet gum or silver maple, despite their annoying fruit or destructive, fast-growing tendencies, have ever crossed into, THE INVASIVE LIST. Why did I wait to talk about the most critical issue last? Because the people who are STILL planting and selling, and growing and LOVING Bradfords just might pay a little more attention to the natural negative traits of a Bradford vs a bunch of tree-hugging Plant-Geeks moaning and groaning about invasive trees and saving the planet mumbo-jumbo AGAIN. I’m hoping that if you’ve read this far, YOU, my dear, dear reader, realize you have to be the one to make a difference. Stop buying them. Stop turning your head when your neighbors, friends, or family buy them. Reach out to your favorite nursery and remind them about the damage they cause. Join a volunteer work group trying to eliminate pear and honeysuckle colonies from parks and open lands. Reach out to the highway departments to do something about our roadways INFESTED with Bradford seedlings that, once they reach a certain height, can’t be mowed, and require expensive heavy equipment (AKA taxpayer’s money!) to remove.
Do I dare list pros and cons after that rant? Honestly the only “good” I see is that Bradfords are giving invasive honeysuckles a pretty good fight. Place your bets now…
Okay, maybe I convinced you, so here are some alternatives you can recommend to your brother-in-law who’s about to line his driveway with Bradfords or your neighbor who wants to plant one dangerously close to your new fence. These trees all offer spring flowers, some with great fall color, some that are native; some have fruit…NONE are invasive. Research and find what tree works best for your situation.
-ANY magnolia;
March Tree of the Month-Star magnolia
June Tree of the Month-Sweet bay magnolia
March Tree of the Month-Merrill Magnolia
March Tree of the Month-Saucer Magnolia
-Fringe tree;
May Tree of the Month-Fringe tree
-Crabapple
-Red horse chestnut
-Serviceberry (Native!)
September Tree of the Month-Serviceberry
-Dogwood (Native!)
April Tree of the Month-Dogwood
-Kousa Dogwood
-Redbud (Native!)
April Tree of the Month-Redbud
-Carolina silverbell
-Flowering cherry
April Tree of the Month-Japanese flowering cherry/Kwanzan cherry
-Tree lilac
June Tree of the Month-Japanese tree lilac
BUT WAIT-THERE’S MORE!!!
Register for Missouri Department of Conservation’s Pear Buyback event from March 17 through April 17 at moinvasives.org/2025/01/31/2025-callery-pear-buyback/. The website also has information on how to identify Callery pear trees, a list of native tree species offered, and pick-up locations with specific addresses.
Comments or questions? Email Garden-Lou at gardenloustl@gmail.com
Words and photos by Jo Batzer unless stated otherwise.
© Jo Batzer, garden-lou.com-2025, All rights reserved.
