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Callery pear flowers. Photo Credit: WNY PRISM.

Callery Pear

COMMON NAME:

Callery pear

SCIENTIFIC NAME:

Pyrus calleryana

ORIGIN:

Southeastern Asia

DESCRIPTION:

Callery pear is a deciduous tree that can grow to a height of 40 feet with a trunk less than 1 foot in diameter. The leaves are alternate with a rounded shape, finely toothed margins and a waxy appearance. From early to late spring the tree produces clusters of five petaled white flowers that give off a strong rancid odor. Flowers are produced at the same time as or before leaf-out. In late summer and fall the tree produces persistent clusters of hard pears that are green brown in color with small pale dots on them.

ECOLOGY
RESOURCES
DISTRIBUTION

HABITAT:

Callery pear grows in disturbed areas including forest edges, old fields and roadsides. This species prefers full sun but can tolerate partially shaded areas with wet to dry soils. Callery pear is planted as a street tree in urban areas.

THREAT:

Callery pear spreads rapidly by seed and forms dense thickets that shade out native species and reduce biodiversity. Birds eat the fruit, which helps the seeds disperse. It can also reproduce vegetatively by sending up new shoots. Callery pear has weak wood and branches so the species can fall and cause utility and property damage.

MANAGEMENT:

Smaller seedlings and saplings can be hand-pulled or foliar treated with herbicide. Larger trees can be cut and treated with herbicides, basal bark treated or girdled. Trees will re-sprout if cutting is not followed up with herbicide treatment. Any successful management strategy will require a multi-year effort.

WNY PRISM PRIORITY:

Tier 4 – Local Control

NYS Invasive Species Tiers Chart

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Native Alternatives

Serviceberry (Amelanchier)

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)

NYS Prohibited and Regulated Species - Part 575:

PATHWAYS OF INVASION:

Callery pear was introduced to the United States in the early 1900s as a way to increase fire blight resistance in common pears. It’s tolerance to a wide range of conditions was noted and its popularity increased as a planted ornamental tree, with the “Bradford” pear as a widely used cultivar. Callery pear is a prolific seed producer, which is spread by birds and small mammals.

REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION:

Common

MAP (via iMapInvasives):

This map shows confirmed observations (green points) submitted to the NYS Invasive Species Database. Absence of data does not necessarily mean absence of the species at that site, but that it has not been reported there. For more information, please visit iMapInvasives.