Experts Are Urging Everyone To Cut These Trees Down And Put Herbicide On The Stumps If They're Growing In Your Yard

Apr 10, 2019 by apost team

Callery pear trees were first introduced to South Caroline in 1909. These ornamental trees are best known for their beautiful fall foliage and delicate white flowers. The trees add curb appeal to many homes across the state, so why is the South Carolina Forestry Commission urging homeowners to destroy Callery pear trees?

Callery pear trees, also known as the Bradford Pear tree, is a flowering tree native to China.

The trees are hardy, resistant to disease and capable of surviving near sources of air pollution. Their only downfall was weak branches that often collapsed and damaged the tree.

Horticulturists crossbred the Callery pear with other types of pear trees to make their branches stronger. They succeeded, but they also inadvertently made trees that were once sterile able to cross-pollinate.

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The cross-pollinated Callery pear trees started producing massive amounts of fruit. Birds would eat the fruit, spreading the seeds wherever they went. What was once a stunning ornamental tree quickly became an invasive species. The Callery pear trees are spreading fast.

They choke out native plant growth, and their thorns are sharp enough to puncture a tire. Stepping on a thorn from a Callery pear tree can land you in the emergency room.

The barbs are sharp enough to cause a wound that requires stitches. Towns across America lined their streets with Callery pear trees in the 90s only to discover the trees give off an offensive odor every spring.

The smell gets stronger every year as the trees reproduce. If you have a Callery pear tree on your property, the South Carolina Forestry Commission is urging you to destroy it. The trees are notoriously hard to kill.

You'll need to use a herbicide on the stump after cutting the tree down. Click here for a video demonstration of the proper way to destroy a Callery tree. South Carolina isn't the only state being invaded by the Callery pear tree.

Always choose decorative trees for landscaping that are native to your state to prevent the spread of an invasive species.

Do you have Callery pear trees in your state? Help us spread the word about the problematic tree that is taking root all over America by passing this along to your friends and family.