Bradford pear trees are blooming across the Upper Cumberland, but a local forester says their beauty comes with drawbacks.
Local Forester Jeff Thompson said Bradford pears are non-native trees that were introduced from Asia and became commercially available in the 1950s and 1960s. Thompson said that while some people love their bright white flowers, some people hate them because of their bad smell.
“When they bloom, their blooms can kind of smell like a rotting fish,” Thompson said. “The chemicals in the flowers and it attracts like flies to pollinate them because that’s the main pollinator, is flies.”
The sale of Bradford Pears is banned in 24 states, yet not in Tennessee. Thompson said most states have banned Bradford Pears as they are very invasive.
“Even though the tree itself is sterile, it can cross-pollinate with other trees, and birds eat the small pears and spread them into fields and fence rows,” Thompson said. “This displaces native flowering trees like dogwoods or redbuds.”
If invasiveness and smell were not enough to deter you from Bradford Pears, Thompson said they are also not very stable.
“The limbs can snap off in storms or ice, and we don’t recommend planting them next to your house,” Thompson said. “If they have invaded a field or pasture, it’s best to remove the small ones or use herbicides on the larger ones.”
Thompson said, despite the controversy, Bradford Pears remain common in the region.
“You will see them almost everywhere,” Thompson said. “Our region doesn’t recommend planting them anymore, and there are better, more stable alternatives like Aristocrat or White House flowering pears.”
While Bradford Pears do receive much hate, Thompson said they are also loved as their blossoms are the first sign of spring.
Research shows that the small pears produced by Bradford Pear trees are technically edible, but their tiny size and tart flavor make them generally unpalatable. They are sometimes used to make jellies and wines.