Cute little flowers open at the very beginning of spring, set off by beautiful silver-lined leaves. Ornamental pears (Pyrus species) are grown for that display rather than for their small brown fruits, which are nothing like edible pears — and in full sun the blooming is at its most abundant.
| Name | Pyrus species |
|---|---|
| Family | Rosaceae |
| Type | tree |
| Height | 16 to 32 feet (5 to 10 m) |
| Exposure | full sun, part sun |
| Soil | ordinary |
| Foliage | deciduous |
| Flowering | mid-spring |
Fruits are fine for birds and animals, but not for us – what we find appealing is the blooming! Although it also produces small brown fruits, these have nothing in common with fruit pear trees and aren’t edible.
It is a good idea to plant your ornamental pear tree in fall to favor root development and renewed growth.
Before buying a Bradford pear, check whether Pyrus calleryana is restricted or banned where you live.
Keep the graft union clearly above the finished soil level when you backfill.
Beyond the willow-leaf pear and the Bradford pear, most ornamental pears sold in garden centres are named selections of the same two species. They differ mainly in shape and eventual size, which is what decides whether a tree suits a street verge or a small lawn.
| Variety | Habit and size | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| ‘Autumn Blaze’ | Rounded, 9 m (30 ft) | Early and reliable red autumn colour, and good cold hardiness |
| ‘Capital’ | Very narrow columnar, 9 m (30 ft) tall by 3 m (10 ft) | Fitting into tight urban spaces; coppery-purple autumn foliage |
| ‘Bradford’ | Broad ovoid, 12 m (40 ft) | The original American street pear; crowded branch unions split as the tree ages |
| ‘Chanticleer’ | Narrow conical, about 11 m (36 ft) | Tidy upright shape for streets and narrow gardens, with late purple-red autumn colour |
| ‘Aristocrat’ | Broadly pyramidal, 12 m (40 ft) | Wider branch angles than ‘Bradford’, so less liable to split |
| ‘Redspire’ | Pyramidal, 11 m (35 ft) | Larger flower clusters and yellow to red autumn colour |
| ‘Pendula’ (weeping willow-leaf pear) | Weeping dome, 5 m (16 ft) | Silvery, willow-like foliage on a small tree for tiny gardens |
Regular maintenance pruning to keep the tree harmoniously balanced is enough. End of Fall is the best period.
You can also cut wood out from the center to let the light through and remove dead wood.
As for most fruit trees, the blooming is most abundant when the tree is in full sun. Also, feel free to boost the nutrient count in the soil with fermented weed tea or rich compost. Fall and Spring are the two seasons where this is most effective.
There are actually two species in particular that are excellent “ornamental pear trees”.
This particular pear tree with willow-like leaves only shares one thing in common with fruit pear trees: its name! Indeed, its fruits taste horrible and are nothing like the pears we customarily eat. Birds, however, love them, especially since the fruits hold well into winter.
They undergo bletting, meaning they stay hard and inedible even to birds until frost and freezing softens them up.
It produces cute little flowers at the very beginning of spring together with its beautiful silver-lined leaves. Its growth is quick. It only requires very little care and watering is only needed in small quantities in case of high temperatures, especially at the beginning. It’s native to the Middle-East, where it’s currently threatened. Planting one in your garden raises the chance of saving the species!
Bradford pear, with biological name Pyrus calleryana, is native to the Chinese hinterland. It has a complicated history in the United States. First it was highly recommended by authorities (primarily because it resists fireblight), and now it’s regarded as an invasive pear tree in many places.
Nonetheless, a famous cultivar is the ‘Capital’ Pyrus calleryana.
Light mulch will help retain a certain amount of moisture during the first years of growth.
