Callery Pear

Did you know

• Callery pear was originally brought to the U.S. in 1917 to combat fire blight disease in commercial pear orchards.
• The Bradford cultivar became one of America's most planted street trees before its many problems became apparent.
• The white spring flowers have a notoriously unpleasant fishy odor caused by trimethylamine, the same compound in rotting fish.
• Originally thought to be sterile, different cultivars cross-pollinate to produce viable seeds, making it highly invasive.
• Several U.S. states including Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina have banned the sale of Callery pear trees.

Color meanings

Uses

• ornamental street tree
• urban landscaping
• spring flowering display