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Callery pear (Bradford pear)	USDA PLANTS Symbol: PYCA80 USDA ARS GRIN: 30463 ITIS: 504706
Pyrus calleryana Dcne.
Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Rosales: Rosaceae
Callery pear, or Bradford pear, is an ornamental, deciduous tree that can grow up to 40 ft. (12.2 m) in height. Some non-sterile cultivars of this species have escaped and are invading natural areas throughout the eastern United States. The leaves are alternate, simple, 2 to 3 in. (5.1-7.6 cm) long, petiolate and shiny with wavy, slightly-toothed margins. The overall shape of the tree is often described as a tear-drop that often spreads out with age. Flowering occurs early in the spring (April to May) before the leaves emerge. The flowers are 1 in. (2.5 cm) wide, showy, malodorous and white. Fruits are round, 0.5 in. (1.3 cm) in diameter and green to brown in color. The “Bradford” variety of pear, which produced sterile fruits, has been widely planted throughout the United States since the early 1900s, but recent cultivars, bred to reduce the tendency of the tree to split in snow or high winds, have produced viable seeds and escaped to invade disturbed areas.

Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources

Weed of the Week - USDA Forest Service
Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Fact Sheet - Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources

Selected Images from Invasive.org

View All Images at Invasive.org

Foliage; Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Bark; Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Flower(s); James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Twig(s)/Shoot(s); twigs and thorns Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Tree(s); November James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Fruit(s); Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Failure; Showing split tree, to correct this new hybrids were developed, these were not sterile. Rich Mason, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Fruit(s); James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Fruit(s); November James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Twig(s)/Shoot(s); November James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Flower(s); James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Tree(s); Tree in flower Dan Tenaglia, Missouriplants.com, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Tree(s); in flower James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Tree(s); in flower James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Tree(s); David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Tree(s); David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Seedling(s); David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Infestation; David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Tree(s); in flower James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Tree(s); Trees in flower Britt Slattery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage
Flower(s); flower petals on ground David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Feature(s); tree splitting David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage	Seed(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage

Taxonomic References:

USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

Invasive Listing Sources:

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