John B. Marek is a writer, farmer, outdoorsman and recovering economic developer. You can find his books at johnbmarek.com.
I moved to North Carolina in late February 1995. A couple of weeks after I arrived, the trees along the streets of our suburban neighborhood exploded with brilliant white blooms. The show only lasted a few days but it was impressive nonetheless. While we had spring-blooming trees in northwest Ohio, we certainly didn’t have as many of them and they didn’t all bloom at once. It turns out, though, that the species primarily responsible for all that March glory also has a dark side. Once a darling of landscapers, the Bradford pear has more recently become a target for eradication in many communities across the United States.
When they were introduced in the 1960s, Bradford pear trees were a sight to behold. They were hailed as a landscaping panacea, with their fast growth, beautiful white flowers in spring and attractive red foliage in fall. They were disease-resistant, adaptable to various soil types, and their compact, rounded shape was ideally suited for urban environments. It’s no wonder that millions of Bradford pears were planted in parks, along streets and in residential yards.
However, the Bradford pear’s popularity waned as its shortcomings became apparent. The much-vaunted flowers, while abundant and beautiful, only last a few days, and some people sensitive to the pollen smell a strong, unpleasant odor. I am not one of those who can smell this, but those who can say it is reminiscent of rotting fish. More importantly, the trees have a notorious structural weakness. Their V-shaped branching causes them to split easily in windstorms, posing a safety hazard. Rarely does a summer storm pass without at least one or two branches down among the dozens of Bradford pears that line the main street in our neighborhood. Additionally, Bradford pears readily spread through bird-dispersed seeds, becoming invasive in some areas and threatening native ecosystems.
Dealing with the issues of Bradford pears is not an easy task. Many communities have begun to actively remove them, but it’s proven to be a significant challenge. Mature Bradford pears can be large and expensive to remove. Furthermore, there’s the question of replacements. Finding suitable trees that offer the same aesthetic appeal and low-maintenance qualities as the Bradford pear in its prime can be difficult, and replacing a mature tree with a spindly six- or seven-foot sapling can be a tough pill to swallow.
The fight against Bradford pears highlights the importance of considering long-term consequences when planting trees. While a particular variety may seem perfect at first, unforeseen issues can arise. Many communities are now turning to native species or cultivars chosen explicitly for their disease resistance and non-invasive characteristics. Some towns are even offering native replacement trees at no cost or paying homeowners a cash “bounty” to replace them.
Truthfully, that might be overkill. While I am not a particular fan of the species and can certainly see its problems, I’m not sure it is worth the cost of eradication efforts. Pear trees are not native to North America, so they are all by definition invasive. But Bradford pears are not kudzu, and the movement to remove them and plant more sustainable alternatives seems like a lot of effort for only modest gain. Certainly, cutting down hundreds of thousands of mature trees and removing the root balls would have its own environmental impact. Instead, perhaps we should promote the importance of responsible landscaping choices in the future and encourage the use of native species.