Callery Pear
(Pyrus calleryana Dcne.)
Family: Rose family (Rosaceae)
Native Range: China, Vietnam
Overview: A deciduous, upright, and pyramidal tree that spreads aggressively and forms dense thickets. Young trees are typically slender and thorny.
Size: 20-30’ tall and wide
Leaves: Alternate glossy/waxy oblong, up to 3” long and 1 ½”- 3” wide, with small, round-toothed margins; long petioles make the leaves flutter in the wind. Glossy dark green during the summer, turning scarlet or reddish-purple in fall.
Stem/Bark: Smooth, grayish-brown bark when young that becomes deeply fissured with age. Twigs are often woody, sharp protrusions, making young trees appear thorny.
Flowers: Creamy white and showy (¾” wide), with 5 petals and numerous yellow stamens in the center. Dense clusters (corymbs) of the malodorous flowers appear in spring before the trees leaf out.
Seed/Fruit: Greenish-brown fruits are produced in later summer and mature in fall. Fruits are up to 1” in diameter.
Roots: Lateral-spreading thin roots. Aggressive, dense, and shallow root systems
Reproduction:
- Seeds widely dispersed by bird droppings
- Vegetatively by sending up new shoots from existing root systems
Ecological Threat
- Forms dense, thorny thickets, crowding out native species
Human Impacts
- During storms the brittle branches that break easily and the shallow root system can lead to uprooting
- Flowers emit a strong, unpleasant odor
- Spreads rapidly into yards and nearby natural areas
Distribution and Background
- Native to China and Vietnam
- Introduced into the United States as an ornamental, and now naturalized in much of the eastern half of the United States
Habitat Type
The Callery Pear is commonly found along roadsides, in old fields, hedgerows, and forest edges, but has also been found in wetlands and forests. It is tolerant of many conditions and prefers sunlight, making it a common urban tree.
