Ornamental pear trees to be banned in Ohio in 2023: What you need to know

Mike Hogan and Micah Walker

The Columbus Dispatch

With spring finally here in Ohio, you may have noticed those trees with the white flowers are already blooming on your street or at the local park. 

But starting next year, expect to see fewer of them. 

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has added all varieties of Callery pear — including Bradford pear — to the list of invasive species in the Buckeye State. Starting in 2023, it will be illegal to sell or plant these trees anywhere in the state. 

South Carolina is the only other state that has taken similar action, where Bradford pear trees will be banned in 2024. 

Bradford pear is a variety of Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), an ornamental fruit tree that is wreaking havoc along roadsides, ditch banks, farm fields and natural areas, including wetlands throughout Ohio, because of its aggressive growth and invasive nature. 

Once established, Bradford pear chokes out many native trees and shrubs. It grows in many soil conditions and does not require high levels of soil fertility or quality, allowing it to grow in many places where other trees fail to survive or thrive.

Birds consume the fruit of Bradford pear and spread the seeds over long distances, often far from locations where any Bradford pear trees have been planted by humans. 

Gardening: Deceptively beautiful Bradford pear tree grows into an invasive nuisance

The history of the pear tree 

This tree is not native to the United States but was introduced to the country from several countries in Asia by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Callery pear was thought to be beneficial due to its resistance to fireblight and its potential to be crossbred with European pear in order to increase fruit production. In the 1960s, scientists recognized its potential as an ornamental tree and Bradford pear quickly became one of the most popular trees east of the Mississippi River.

Bradford pear became popular not only for its abundance of showy white flowers in early spring, but also for its quick growth, medium height at maturity, and for the deep-red color of its foliage in autumn. These trees were widely planted not only by gardeners and homeowners but also by municipalities and landscape manager as a street tree.

As a replacement for Bradford pear, consider planting native trees such as serviceberry, native hawthorn or native crabapples.

Mike Hogan is an associate professor at Ohio State University and an educator at the OSU Extension who can be reached at hogan.1@osu.edu.

Micah Walker is the Dispatch trending reporter. Reach her at mwalker@dispatch.com or 740-251-7199. Follow her on Twitter @micah_walker701.