Ornamental Pear Trees

 

Pyrus calleryana - Callery Pear flowers
Pyrus calleryana – Callery Pear flowers

Ornamental pear trees are in full bloom across Nantucket this week.   These adaptable trees have been widely planted throughout the country.  They are disease resistant, with lustrous green leaves, and often have good fall color.  This time of year the entire canopy is filled with sprays of delicate white flowers.

There are many popular selections, each suitable for different situations.  Some common ones are listed below, with noteworthy characteristics.

 

 

  • New Bradford (R)   An improvement on the ubiquitous ‘Bradford’ Considered to be hardier with superior foliage.  Reaches 35′ or more in height, conical in youth, becoming more broad with age.
  • Aristocrat (R)  Distinguishable from other ornamental pears by its wavy -edged leaves.  This selection tends to maintain a strong central leader and grows to around 35′ tall and 16′ wide.
  • Chanticleer (R) AKA ‘Select’, ‘Cleveland Select’, and ‘Stone Hill’  An upright pyramidal selection, still reaching 35′ tall, but slightly narrower than Aristocrat (R)
  • ‘Trinity’ AKA ‘Sylvania’  Much more rounded selection reaching 30′ x 30′ in maturity.
  • P. fauriei Korean Sun TM AKA ‘Westwood’  Compact rounded habit, only reaching 12′ – 15′ in height.  Red/Purple fall color.