General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 5a -28.9 °C (-20 °F) to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 9a
Plant Height: 50 feet
Plant Spread: 40 feet
Leaves: Good fall color
Deciduous
Flowers: Showy
Malodorous
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Spring
Underground structures: Taproot
Suitable Locations: Street Tree
Uses: Flowering Tree
Resistances: Drought tolerant
Pollinators: Various insects
Miscellaneous: Goes Dormant

Image
Common names
  • Bradford Pear
  • Callery Pear
  • Flowering Pear

Photo Gallery
Location: North Central TX Zone 8a
Date: 2018-03-08
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: Downtown Russellville
Date: March 16 2021
Blooms look similar to apple blooms
Location: Willow Valley Communities, Lakes Campus, Willow Street, Pennsylvania, USA
Date: 2019-04-16
Location: Aberdeen, NC 
Date: 2022-12-14
Bradford Pear fruit and Cedar Waxwing #148 nn; LHB p. 514, 95-26-
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: My garden in Warrenville, SC
Date: March 6, 2020
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: In my garden, Archer, Florida
Date: 2021-03-12
Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2018-05-06
"Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford', 2018 photo, Bradford or Calery Pear
Location: March 2023 | Fairfax VA
Date: 2023-03-04
Location: Downtown Russellville
Date: March 16 2021 
Huge specimen, over 40 years old
Location: Downtown Russellville
Date: March 16 2021
Early bee
Location: Downtown Russellville
Date: March 16 2021
Sun breaking through a cloudy sky
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA, Zone 6b
Date: 2018-04-20
Location: Kyle
Date: 2019-03-01
Location: March 2023 | Fairfax VA
Date: 2023-03-04
Location: Fairfax, VA
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Date: 2015-04-01
Location: Garland (Dallas), TX
Date: 2012-11-06
Fall foliage, taken at a house a few streets over.
Location: Garland (Dallas), TX
Date: 2014-03-01
Truly know Spring is here when the Bradfords bloom.
Location: Downtown Russellville
Date: March 16 2021
Location: Northeastern Indiana - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-03-25
Location: Downtown Russellville
Date: March 16 2021
This lichen found more often on oak trees
Location: Northeastern Indiana - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-03-25
In bloom
Location: Columbus, Ohio USA, Zone 6b
Date: 2018-04-20

Date: 2014-06-07
This trunk was rotting at the crotch, and roots started to form,
Location: March, 2024
Location: North Central TX Zone 8a
Date: 2017-11-29
Leaves turn a beautiful red/maroon in the fall
Location: Kansas City Missouri
Date: 2022-04-14
Dissection of a Bradford Pear flower
Location: Fairfax, Virginia (Outdoors)
Location: In my subdivison, looking from my porch in Northern KY
Date: 2009-10-29
Location: Fairfax, VA | March, 2023
Date: 2023-03-18
Location: March 2023 | Fairfax VA
Date: 2023-03-04
Location: Pleasant Grove, utah
Date: 2012-04-02
At a Church
Location: My neighbor's tree, looking from my porch in Northern KY
Date: 2009-10-29
Location: At my neighbor's yard in Northern KY
Date: 2012-03-19
Location: At my neighbor's yard in Northern KY
Date: 2012-03-18
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2013-04-19
w/ 2 Robins courting
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2013-04-19
Location: My subdivison, a couple houses from me in Northern KY
Date: 2007-11-13
Location: My subdivison, a couple houses from me in Northern KY
Date: 2007-11-14
Location: My neighbor's tree, looking from my porch in Northern KY.
Date: 2009-11-10
Taken in the evening.
Location: In my subdivison, looking from my porch in Northern KY.
Date: 2009-11-10
There are 4 Bradford Pear Trees in photo. Taken in the evening.
Location: Fairfax, VA | April, 2022
Date: 2022-04-29
Location: In my garden
Date: 2014-03-07

Date: 2014-06-07

Date: 2014-06-07
This trunk was rotting at the crotch, and roots started to form,

Date: 2015-03-24

Date: 2015-03-24
Location: RavenCroft Cottage
Date: 2013-04-29

Date: 2015-03-24

Date: 2015-03-24
Location: near West Chester, Pennsylvania
Date: 2010-05-20
a big branch ripped off leaving a big wound
Location: Bloomington, Illinois
Date: 2012-06-16
Immature fruit that forms after the blossoms drop
Location: Bloomington, Illinois
Date: 2012-06-16
Mature Bradford Pear in a backyard garden.
Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2011-02-28 
A tree in my friend's yard, Daytona Beach, Florida
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2014-05-01
Location: Northeastern Indiana - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-03-25
Generally not a very structurally sound tree
Location: Northeastern Indiana - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-03-25
Structural branching
Location: central Illinois
Date: 2011-04-08
Location: Pleasant Gtove, utah
Date: 2012-04-02
Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah
Date: 2012-04-02
Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah
Date: 2012-04-02
Photo by SongofJoy
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by Meldu512 on Oct 3, 2020 2:40 PM concerning plant:
    Use caution when planting the Bradford Pear. Our neighborhood used them extensively as street trees ten years ago. Two years ago Fireblight Disease hit the trees and our HOA has now spent over 30,000.00 to remove and replace these trees.
  • Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 15, 2013 7:10 AM concerning plant:
    These trees are subject to breakage and are easily broken or split in very windy conditions. Almost every year a number of mature specimens are lost here.
  • Posted by virginiarose (Virginia - Zone 8a) on Feb 2, 2014 10:21 AM concerning plant:
    Spring flowers smell like fish.
  • Posted by eclayne (Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA - Zone 6a) on Jan 15, 2013 11:52 AM concerning plant:
    The Bradford Pear was for years a common street tree in Boston's Fort Point Channel district. Generally thought to be low maintenance, its fairly upright habit is particularly well suited to the narrow sidewalks common throughout much of Boston while the root system creates little or no heaving of brick sidewalks. Many side streets, planted exclusively with Bradfords, create a wonderful spring display. Unfortunately over the years the very windy conditions of this harbor-side area have taken a toll and the Bradfords have fallen out of favor.
  • Posted by virginiarose (Virginia - Zone 8a) on Feb 2, 2014 10:20 AM concerning plant:
    Surface roots and deep shade make it impossible to grow grass under it.

  • Posted by virginiarose (Virginia - Zone 8a) on Feb 2, 2014 10:34 AM concerning plant:
    Flowers are sterile but can cross-pollinate with other trees and produce thousands of tiny pears that produce thorny seedlings, which are invasive.
  • Posted by ILPARW (southeast Pennsylvania - Zone 6b) on Apr 24, 2018 7:40 PM concerning plant:
    'Bradford' was the first great cultivar of this Callery Pear from China that was released in the 1970's. It had a broad and very rounded form. It bore very little of the tiny brown pears at first, until other cultivars were planted around also and there was cross-pollination. Callery Pear is a weak, brittle-wooded tree and the 'Bradford' cultivar was especially susceptible to a lot of storm breakage. I remember a few that broke right in two in northeast Illinois back in the 80's and 90's. The nursery industry discontinued it by 2000 because of its weakness. No great loss.
  • Posted by gardengus (Indiana Zone 5b) on Jun 8, 2014 3:37 PM concerning plant:
    I take care of several of these trees at several homes. I personally think they create a beautiful display in the spring, but they smell awful. I have several problems with them: breakage from rather moderate or heavy winds, the endless suckers from shallow roots, and seedlings everywhere. They are on the invasive ''watch list'' of some states and banned in some cities.
    I do not and would not own one of these trees. There are many other good choices for a small flowering tree.
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