PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – Callery pear trees, commonly called Bradford pears, are blooming this time of year, and experts say that’s a bad thing.
The trees are an invasive species here in Virginia, known for their beautiful white flowers and not so beautiful pungent aroma. The trees are an invasive species which means they are not controlled and cause harm to natural resources, economic activity, or humans.
Callery pear trees spread easily and form dense thickets which outcompete native plants around them, reducing biodiversity.
“In areas without active vegetation control, such as roadsides and road interchanges, you see a proliferation of Callery pear. There are some areas along roads that are now 100 percent Callery pear trees,” said Eric Wiseman, associate professor of urban forestry and arboriculture at Virginia Tech.
Wiseman also said the trees are hard to kill. Cutting the stem back doesn’t work, you have to kill the roots.
If you decide to remove Callery pears from your yard, the Virginia Department of Forestry recommends hiring an ISA-certified arborist to remove the tree and treat the stump. The Virginia Department of Forestry also has a program what will exchange up to three Callery pear trees a year for a native tree to plant in its place. To participate you have to pre register; a limited number of trees are available.
If you decide to replace them on your own experts suggest planting native plants such as Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, and Green hawthorn. Non-native alternatives to Bradford pears are Katsuratree, Paperbark maple, and Japanese snowbell.
