Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
krnuttle

In defense of the Bardford Pear

krnuttle
10 years ago

I have read and experienced all of the bad things about Bradford pears, such as the fact they self destruct after couple of years, they smell badly, and many other attributes.

BUT

They are beautiful. We drove over to Goldsboro this noon and it was so pretty to see the big white snow balls all a long the highway and in the fields.

When you see them in the spring it is easy to forget the negative things and want one in your yard.

Comments (10)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    surprised you could NOT smell them from the freeway ... lol ... it it wouldnt have been a pretty smell ...

    sure.. every plant has its season.. and this one has its 6 to 10 days of glory ....

    its the rest of the year.. when they are useless ...

    i dont think my winter will end.. so i am jealous of that which you saw ... we still have 50% snow cover ...

    ken

  • j0nd03
    10 years ago

    IMO, the most interesting thing about callery pear trees is the variable ways the stench from the flowers is described by various people. I think they smell like rotten fish.

    However, I can't deny the beauty the few wild ones growing on my property are displaying atm. They look very nice tucked in between the junipers in a couple spots. Unfortunately, they bloom the same time as my Royal Star magnolia and get all the visitor attention while my little shrub is flowering its little butt off, virtually unnoticed. It has a slightly sweet scent that in vastly superior to the pear flower's stink.

  • Iris GW
    10 years ago

    all along the highway and in the fields

    Invasive. Do you like English ivy covering up trees, kudzu swallowing buildings and Chinese privet choking up streamsides too?

    It's no different in the end.

  • Huggorm
    10 years ago

    Magnolia is a better choice for spring flowering medium size trees

  • jdo053103
    10 years ago

    I hate bradford pear trees, I got rid of everyone on my property..but I will say they are beautiful while blooming (they smell awful) and put on a good fall color show.
    I can understand what the OP is saying.

  • canadianplant
    10 years ago

    Ya know esh... technically the most invasive species around is humans, its us who brought callary pear, kudzu and the rest and create the environment in which they thrive (disturbed sites).. The list of invasive species would take up all the space on the server to list, and half of those we dont consider "evil invasives".

    Funny thing too, many of the invasives (ok maybe not callary pear) are useful for medicine and building soil. To many of our garden plants are pollenless and just look pretty with no real function....

    It is odd though, that people would plant an ornamental pear, and skip out on the best part... the fruit!

  • whaas_5a
    10 years ago

    Ken, I'm jealous of your 50% snow cover.

    The sun has evaporated almost all of our snow cover.

    The sun is also zapping the crap out of my now exposed dwarf conifers. The soil is SO frozen.

    9 degrees this morning.

    I'd agree there is nothing better than a Magnolia in bloom. Too bad frost zaps the flowers. I wish there where more hardy mags that bloomed later.

  • krnuttle
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    "all along the highway and in the fields"

    The Bradfords around here are not feral, but line the the front back or sides of lawns and other residentail properties. Some line some quite long driveways, so at this time of year creates w white hedge.

  • ritmatt
    9 years ago

    Interesting comments about the odor of Bradford Pears. I had several in the yard of a previous home. Never noticed any odor.

  • Toronado3800 Zone 6 St Louis
    9 years ago

    jdo053103,

    I also can appreciate why folks plant them. Heck, I can understand Stalin's motivations, not that I agree with him but at least I understand I think.

    We're a bit behind here. In a couple weeks we can drive along the highways and spot them blooming in the cuts and wood lines.

    Some trees do seem to stink more than others. It doesn't seem to be the smaller or larger ones. I guess that covers the newer, thinner Clevelands and the Bradfords.

    Also SOMETIMES I do see their fall color. About every three years we get a decent purple show. They color pretty late.