Problems With Bradford Pear Trees

Native to China, the Bradford pear was introduced into Maryland in the early 1900s. Despite their problems, the trees still can have a place in landscaping. They are fast-growing, have an attractive pyramidal shape and, in early spring, blossom heavily with white flower clusters. Homeowners can promote healthy trees by mulching the root zone, avoiding excess water and nitrogen fertilizer and inspecting for disease. With care, Bradford pears can last 15 to 25 years or more.

Fire blight is a bacterial disease that affects pear, quince and apple trees. New, succulent tissue is most vulnerable to fireblight infection. Fire blight often begins in the flowers, causing them to die and turn black. The infection moves up the twig and branch, causing the new shoot to wilt and die, forming a hook shape. Watery, tan bacterial ooze may be seen coming from cracks in the bark, and oozing may result in dark stains on the limbs and trunk.

Fire blight infections can lead to the death of limbs or the entire tree. Bradford pears should be monitored frequently for signs of fireblight. Infected branches and limbs should be pruned out 8 to 12 inches below the infection site. Irrigation should be avoided while trees are blooming, and trees should not receive excess nitrogen fertilizer, which causes rapid growth, producing more vulnerable succulent tissue.

Entomosporium leaf spot is a fungal leaf infection that affects multiple landscape plants, including Bradford pear. The infection appears as red spots on the upper and lower surface of leaves. Spots have a distinct red-maroon border, and as they age become grayish with a purple border. Leaf spots may enlarge and merge, killing the leaf and causing it to fall. Heavy infections can cause severe leaf drop, weakening the tree and leading to decline.

Before buying a Bradford pear, homeowners should inspect the tree for signs of leaf spot. Another solution is to improve air circulation by not planting trees too close together.

Bradford pears often have branches that attach to the trunk at tight angles. This results in weak points in the structure of the tree. Because of the weak branch attachments, high winds and storms often damage Bradford pears. Trees also are at risk of collapse from heavy loads of ice and snow in cold climates. To avoid issues with branching structure, homeowners should select a tree that has a strong central leader and prune out branches that meet the trunk at a sharp angle.

Bradford pears are considered to be invasive plants in the Eastern United States, where they have moved into natural and wild areas. Wild Bradford pear trees are considered a threat to native plant communities. The original variety of Bradford pear produced sterile fruit. But scientists have developed hybrids that were not sterile in efforts to correct the tree's tendency to split and collapse. Birds are the main culprit in spreading wild tree seedlings through consumption of hybrid fruit. Planting Bradford pear trees is not advised in areas where they have become invasive.