Louisiana Plant ID | Pyrus calleryana (Bradford pear)

FAMILY: ROSACEAE

ALTERNATE COMMON NAME:

LEAVES: alternate, deciduous, simple; oblong-ovate, 2-4” long, accuminate tip, coriacious; good fall color

FLOWER: many clusters of white, 1" diameter flowers; 5 petals, mildly unpleasent odor

FRUIT: small pome, 1/3" diameter x 3/4" long; russet-colored (like a potato), not edible

TWIGS: silvery-white, pubescent dormant buds; fruit and flowers on spur shoots

BARK:

FORM: small tree, often only 20' tall, to 45', but it often breaks-up after 20-25 years

HABITAT: urban streets

RANGE: eastern US, native of Asia

USES: very common (maybe too common) street tree and urban ornamental

Best Recognition Features:

clusters of white flowers on spur shoots
russet colored pome, 3/4”
urban environment

NOTE: extremely popular urban tree because of its spring flowers, fall color, and blight resistance; tends to be fairly short-lived when used for street trees

School of Renewable Natural Reources	Louisiana Plant Identification and Interactive Virtual Tours Dr. Chris S. Reid, Project Director \| creid4@lsu.edu LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA © 2003-2020 website problems or broken links: mbowen@agcenter.lsu.edu page revised: 15-Jan-2020 4:11 PM msb	LSU AgCenter
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