Prominent early-spring blooms of callery pear.
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Callery Pear
Pyrus calleryana
Not That!
Information by Art Gover
Alternative
Consider Serviceberry.
Abstract
DO NOT plant callery pear (AKA “Bradford” pear). If you have it, make a plan to replace it. It is a classic invasive species - vigorous growth, doesn’t feed bugs or beasts, and spreads without invitation.
Callery pear overrunning a former field near Milroy, PA, in Mifflin County.
Description
Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana) is a medium-sized deciduous tree; rounded conical canopy when young; prominent malodorous early-spring floral display before leaf-out. Sets abundant fruit with less than 1/2-inch diameter. Adapted to USDA Zones 5 to 9, tolerates relatively poor, dry soils and is largely free of pests, notably fire blight.
Heavy fruit set of callery pear. Birds will eat and spread this seed (Image: Les Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut).
Natural History
Originally reported in the early 20th century in China. It was observed growing in a wide range of soil and moisture conditions. Plant explorers sought pear species immune to fire blight, a common foliar pathogen of cultivated pears. Its ornamental qualities lead to the commercial introduction of the “Bradford” cultivar in 1963. Cultivars are nursery-produced by grafting cuttings onto callery pear rootstocks, producing genetically identical and self-sterile (therefore no fruit) “tops” growing on genetically diverse rootstocks. If the rootstock sprouted and flowered, or a different cultivar was within range of pollinator foraging, viable fruit was produced, leading to seed dissemination by birds. These offspring tend to be very fertile and produce heavy crops of fruit and viable seed.
Cluster of callery pear blooms. (Image: Les Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut).
Why You Should Not Plant This
Callery pear is a poor habitat. If you want a vibrant landscape full of native bugs and birds, you need bug food. Callery pear is not bug food. Older cultivars and wild callery pear trees tend to split from snow loading due to poor branching habits. Oh, yes - purchasing and planting callery pear is a violation of the PA Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Act.
Further Reading
Culley, T. M. (2017). The rise and fall of the ornamental Callery pear tree. Arnoldia, 74(3), 2–11.
Tallamy, D. W., & Shropshire, K. J. (2009). Ranking lepidopteran use of native versus introduced plants. Conservation Biology, 23(4), 941–947. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01202.x
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