Life finds a way: Why the Callery Pear Tree is such a problem in Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — They're a tree you won't see in many nurseries anymore. The Callery Pear and its variations are all over the state, with ongoing efforts by environmental organizations to remove them.
Imported from Asia, the trees were originally used as landscaping for their more desirable qualities. They're big and round, with white flowers blooming in the Spring. But their drawbacks quickly became apparent, with the smell being most obvious. The Kansas Forest Service says for the Sunflower State the problem grows much deeper than that.
'It also has kind of a more ominous nature to it,' Shad Hufnagel, Forest Health Director for the Kansas Forest Service, said. 'They grow so aggressively that they will push out native vegetation and disrupt natural ecosystems.'
The tree was thought to be incapable of reproducing, which was part of the appeal.
'These trees that were initially … independently sterile, have found a way to cross pollinate because of these cultivars that have been developed, including the Bradford Pear,' Hufnagel said.
The Bradford, Cleveland Select and Aristocrat are some of the sub-variations (cultivars) of the Callery Pear. To mitigate the spread, the Forest Service are going so far as to renew their buy-back program for Callery Pears in 2026.
The tree is well-known to nurseries in Wichita, like Johnson's Garden Center.
'I hate to cut down trees, but if they're causing problems then it has to be dealt with,' Ryan Johnson, Assistant Manager at Johnson's Garden Center said.
He hasn't seen any this year, but Johnson frequently deals with customers looking to replace their Callery Pears. He and the Forest Service agree that these trees and their cultivars are ill-suited for the Kansas environment.
'For Kansas, at least. It's just very structurally not sound for our winds. [With] the branching structure, you can lose half that tree in a heavy wind storm,' Johnson said.
Losing your pear tree doesn't mean there aren't options. Local nurseries offer plenty of other trees, perfectly suited for your garden and for the state.
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