The harmful truth about the Bradford pear tree

While the Spring time graciously approaches, the weather warms up, and the flowers bloom. Within these changes, we witness the blooming process of the Bradford Pear Tree.

As a popular tree to the geography of Robeson County, these invasive trees may have caught your eye, appearing admirable with their white petaled clusters. But the truth behind the beauty of their appearance is that these spring trees are incredibly harmful to their surrounding ecosystems. Research suggests that what used to be popular and harmless to plant in the ’80s and ’90s is now creating ecological deserts.

Horticulture Agent Mark Johnson at Robeson County Cooperative Extension urges the public to acknowledge the importance and dangers of their existence.

“The Bradford Pear itself produces sterile seed,” Johnson explained. “But if there’s another Callery (Bradford) pear within pollination range — let’s say within a hundred feet — those seeds become fertilized. When birds eat them, they pass through their digestive system and get dropped elsewhere, spreading wild Callery pears.” Johnson goes on to highlight the serious problems these wild pears create.

“They develop thorns up to two or three inches long, which have been known to puncture a tractor tire,” he said. “If they can do that… that’s a serious issue.” Beyond their physical threat, these invasive trees disrupt their local ecosystems, he said.

“We need to act while they’re visible and easy to locate,” Johnson said. “They leaf out earlier than our native trees, shading them out and pushing them out of their own habitats.” For example, Oak trees support more than 600 species of caterpillars, which birds rely on to feed their young, but these wild Callery pears don’t support the caterpillars.

They are essentially creating a food desert for the birds and, unfortunately, are unknowingly contributing to their ecological decline by spreading the trees. Johnson said the problem is already evident in parts of Robeson County.

“There’s a section on Carthage Road that’s probably about an acre of nothing but a thicket of wild Callery pears,” he said. “It’s so dense that not even a deer could run through it, which is a bad sign for biodiversity.”

Some states have adopted the Bradford Bounty Program to combat these invasive trees. The program offers homeowners a free native tree in exchange for cutting down a Bradford pear on their property. “It costs money, but it’s a great program,” Johnson explained.

Johnson has pushed for a similar initiative here in North Carolina for two years. “My goal is to begin with the city council, educate them on the issue, and hopefully gain support.” If you have identified a Bradford pear tree on your property, Johnson encourages anyone to cut it down using the ‘hack and spray’ technique if necessary.

Here’s how it works:

Take an axe or bush axe and make cuts into the trunk (but don’t do it in spring because the sap flow is heavy). Spray the cuts with herbicide– either triclopyr or glyphosate. The tree will absorb the herbicide, effectively killing it. “If you cut the tree down, you should immediately spray the stump with herbicide to prevent the vigorous root system from sprouting new growth,” Johnson said.

In addition to the Bradford pear tree, some flowering trees currently in bloom are fruit trees and Redbuds. Later in the spring, some native species are expected to bloom, such as the Dogwood trees, which are a favorite for many, but they are understory trees that prefer shade. Serviceberry is not as well known, but it has white blooms and produces edible fruit for birds and humans. Fringe Tree blooms later in the summer and has a unique flowering pattern. Though a local arboretum isn’t available, you could visit the Lumbee River State Park or Cape Fear Botanical Garden in Fayetteville to observe these flowering trees locally.

For residents interested in planting flowering trees, Johnson recommends choosing native species, such as Dogwood, Redbud, Serviceberry, and Fringe trees. When planting, follow these guidelines:

• Plant at the same depth as the soil in the container — don’t plant too deep.
• Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball to loosen the soil and encourage root spread.
• Do not add fertilizer or compost to the hole — it can burn the roots. Just use the native soil you dug up.

Bradford pear problem

The spread of Bradford pears in Robeson County is an issue that residents should not take lightly. Johnson pleads that Robeson County residents look around while they bloom and notice how widespread they are becoming. “The more awareness we can raise, the better chance we have of protecting our native trees,” he said.

For answers about Bradford pear trees, contact the Robeson County Cooperative Extension at 910-671-3276.