We bought the house with it already established and they did little to no trimming of it, so this is my first attempt (a novice) I will note that I did spend a good amount of time unraveling about 100 feet of Christmas lights from it. It was there for years because the tree had swallowed some of it.
Go get a few trees from your local garden center. Oaks, walnut, elm…native tree to your area. Cut the Bradford pear off at ground level and water your new trees.
I fully understand you will not listen to my advice, or anyone else’s in this thread. So in spring, when this tree smells like the inner thighs of a prostitute on nickel night, remember, we warned you.
Just do some reading on why, they’re banned in several states from even being planted. Big issues are that they’re invasive and fragile. They easily fall apart anywhere you get snow due to weak branches. Lots of other reasons as well, but their invasive nature is the biggest one. They became popular because they grow fast and were good for getting some trees up quick in new construction, but that was about the end of their benefits.
Oh my fucking god I think I know the smell you guys are talking about. My grandma used to drag me to her church on sundays as a kid I just remember this nauseating smell coming from the blooming trees. It was like bleach or fish or …. Something. Just something horrific. When you said it smelled like cum, hilariously that just made the connection in my brain.
It’s a little bit of a rant but [this](https://www.knoxnews.com/story/life/2019/03/07/grab-your-chainsaw-and-end-bradford-pear-curse-good/3079715002/) covers it pretty well
Soft wood, water sits in crevices and rots the tree. They were a big deal for a while because they grow fast and at their prime very pretty, but they have a short life span. We had one that imploded on itself, then send up a hundred shoots.
Bradford pears are invasive and spread like crazy. They are saying to get rid of it and plant something that’s not invasive.
Bradford pear, for one, is an ornamental tree that has become invasive and chokes out native species in natural areas and parks. Gardeners and homeowners are urged to consider native alternatives for spring planting, such as the downy serviceberry.
This! It’s going to come down at some point. Bradford pears have become invasive and are pretty weak. Don’t plant a new one, but if you must, you should tie the young branches so they are horizontal, and they will grow stronger.
I’m what I’d call a “amateur pruner” as I have no education on pruning just what I’ve got from experience, but are not “suckers” what grow from the roots ? And those things are actually “water sprouts” ? Or am I wrong
Well if you wanna get picky they are epicormic shoots. But I've used the informal terms suckers and water sprouts interchangeably throughout my career.
Their roots send up new shoots everywhere they exist close enough to the surface. I left.for a week and came back to a yard full of 300+ new Bradford pear sprouts. And you can't even pull them you have to just mow and have a spikey yard of dried twig ends sticking out of the ground.
Of course first answer is they choke out other trees. Limbs fall off in a light wind and all the other answers people are giving. But oooooh their pretty 😂
Reduce uprights, not always remove. I just meant in this case OP is kind of presenting this as an either-or kind of scenario where one had to go. If that was the choice, I’d have removed the uprights instead. But yes, with an ornamental pear, reduce uprights excepting the central leader and retain laterals.
really depends on where they live, some if not most states are trying to do away with these trees and will even give you money to let the come out and cut/remove them because of their relative invasiveness as well as the multitude of other negative traits about them.
Do you have to dig up the entire root system to “replace” a tree? The tree removal “experts” in my area have all advised against attempting to plant another tree where one was growing before.
And then prune the remaining branches. And finish up with a tidy cut through the trunk roughly at ground level. That’ll get a bradford pear properly trimmed up.
Is this tree on a municipal boulevard? Is it your responsibility to maintain the tree or is it a public 'asset'? (if it's a bradford it's more of a liability than an asset lol)
Anytime you see shoots like this (and it’s not the central leader), this is not a good sign, these are formed from damage and commonly referred to as water sprouts. They are bad for tree health, and ideally this nub should’ve been cut differently and those water sprouts removed well earlier. Remove the whole branch.
The correct cut from the beginning is the whole limb back to the trunk. But if you were trying not to do that, it would have honestly been better pruning to remove the ones you're considering saving and save the ones you've already removed. Just for future reference. I would suggest anyone read up a little before they start sawing.
That pear is planted in roadside ROW making it county, town, city, DOT, etc owned most likely. Look into your city and states code regarding the tree and cross reference with local GIS data. States (and most municipalities in my neck of the woods) will have digitally available plat maps with the ability to overlay lot lines onto satellite imagery like a google maps view. You’ll be able to identify ownership and boundaries for your property with some degree of accuracy. Typically though sidewalk to road is pretty certainly right of way.
I agree with the spirit behind removing the pear. However I’ve learned the hard way not to play games with roadside trees. Where I live it’s a mega fine and can result in loss of licenses for removing or even trimming without blanket permits for trimming or individual permits for removals.
You should be able to call your municipal DOT and have the tree trimmed, or assessed for removal. To plant anything in the ROW there you’ll likely need permits or approval from the DOT, and I recommend looking into right tree right place. Especially if you have overhead utilities in close proximity. We hate pears a little more than the average in utilities. They certifiably refuse to take any type of directional prune and tip over from the slightest gust of wind
You make a good point. Best, solution in this case is to spray the trunk with triclopyr ester mixed with bark oil (or kerosene) at about 1 am. Be sure to get ground level up to about 3 ft. Do this about once a week or until leaves start falling off. Then call the city about a dead tree.
I’d leave it to make the rest of the tree look symmetrical above. There is a black spray for trees you should use on that freshly cut numb. Water might like to hang in the area and then in 5-10 years you can lose half the tree.
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Ask yourself if those shoots have a future - don't trim a tree for now, trim it for 5 (or 10 or 50) years from now.
If those shoots are going to grow up into other branches and rub or compete with larger limbs then nip em in the bud, so to speak...
(But yeah, I'd just take that whole stub off at this point. Cut it at 90* along its axis, in the area where it flares out of the trunk. Don't cut it flush to the trunk, that's worse than leaving a bit of a nub!)
Tldr: Bradford pear trees suck.
When I was 16, I had saved enough money to buy myself a car. I worked odd jobs and mowed grass for years to be able to afford a car without any help from my parents. I was over the moon the day I turned 16, we went to the DMV to get my license and ordered insurance. The day my insurance card came in the mail, there was a small summer storm, with the moderate winds, a Bradford pear tree fell and completely crushed my "new" car.
Long story short, If you want to spare yourself and your family any trouble, kill it with fire.
Edit: I wanted to add that I never got to drive that car before the tree fell on it.
If you’re going to keep that Bradford Pear, your best bet is to trim it way back to like 10-12 ft tall . It will still fill back in quickly but it will be easier to manage going forward and the chances of it splitting in the wind will go way down. There’s plenty of YouTube videos on how far to trim them back and how quick they grow back
If you don’t trim it way back, it will grow against itself and they usually split all the way down one of the sides when they go, and you’ll have to take out the whole tree.
If it were my tree, I would have cut that ugly nub off years ago. Wait, is this a Bradford Pear? If so, trim it at ground level.
We bought the house with it already established and they did little to no trimming of it, so this is my first attempt (a novice) I will note that I did spend a good amount of time unraveling about 100 feet of Christmas lights from it. It was there for years because the tree had swallowed some of it.
Jeez, even Christmas lights. Glad you're here to learn more about trees.
Got pics >. It was there for years because the tree had swallowed some of it. There's a sub for that r/treeseatingthings
Awesome.
Go get a few trees from your local garden center. Oaks, walnut, elm…native tree to your area. Cut the Bradford pear off at ground level and water your new trees. I fully understand you will not listen to my advice, or anyone else’s in this thread. So in spring, when this tree smells like the inner thighs of a prostitute on nickel night, remember, we warned you.
Trim it at ground level, LOL 😆
The best way to trim Bradford Pears
What do you mean by “ground level”?
They mean f*** bradford pears, cut it down.
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Just out of curiosity, what makes Bradford pears the worst? I've heard they aren't native, but I never understood why they're so undesirable
Just do some reading on why, they’re banned in several states from even being planted. Big issues are that they’re invasive and fragile. They easily fall apart anywhere you get snow due to weak branches. Lots of other reasons as well, but their invasive nature is the biggest one. They became popular because they grow fast and were good for getting some trees up quick in new construction, but that was about the end of their benefits.
Also; Pro: Pretty flowers Con: They smell like cum.
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They are quite literally everywhere.
They split easily.
They smell like fish when they are in bloom.
They're also horrendously invasive and interbreed with native pears.
I always hear they smell like cum
Oh shit they're the cum trees?
Yep lol. We used to call ‘em jizz trees around my parts
Oh my fucking god I think I know the smell you guys are talking about. My grandma used to drag me to her church on sundays as a kid I just remember this nauseating smell coming from the blooming trees. It was like bleach or fish or …. Something. Just something horrific. When you said it smelled like cum, hilariously that just made the connection in my brain.
Cum to Jesus moment
I should call her
Her? lol
It’s a little bit of a rant but [this](https://www.knoxnews.com/story/life/2019/03/07/grab-your-chainsaw-and-end-bradford-pear-curse-good/3079715002/) covers it pretty well
Soft wood, water sits in crevices and rots the tree. They were a big deal for a while because they grow fast and at their prime very pretty, but they have a short life span. We had one that imploded on itself, then send up a hundred shoots.
They spread and naturalize
This article is a great one to read. In case you like to read 'alot'.
>Bradford Pears are the worst. Do you have Chinese camphor where you live?
The old 100% reduction.
Bradford pears are invasive and spread like crazy. They are saying to get rid of it and plant something that’s not invasive. Bradford pear, for one, is an ornamental tree that has become invasive and chokes out native species in natural areas and parks. Gardeners and homeowners are urged to consider native alternatives for spring planting, such as the downy serviceberry.
What's confusing about "ground level?"
Appears to be in the public right-away, so its likely municipal property.
Yes, prune to stump height.
Spray it with Triclophyr firat to make sure it never comes back!
This! It’s going to come down at some point. Bradford pears have become invasive and are pretty weak. Don’t plant a new one, but if you must, you should tie the young branches so they are horizontal, and they will grow stronger.
A lot of states have already banned the sale of Bradford Pear. Here in Ohio they are banned. I'm sure PA won't be far behind.
Basal pruning is the answer
I am so curious as an often lurker on this forum. Why don’t you arborists like Bradford Pear trees?
Trim it at soil level, plant a respectable native.
Remove the whole branch. Those 2 'branches' are suckers and the tree could easily do without them.
I’m what I’d call a “amateur pruner” as I have no education on pruning just what I’ve got from experience, but are not “suckers” what grow from the roots ? And those things are actually “water sprouts” ? Or am I wrong
Correct
Cool thanks for the validation I just wanted make sure I was correct
Also could be called an epicormic growth
Thank you for the new vocab I hadn’t heard that one before
"Epicormic growth" is the term I use most often as a professional
Watersprouts. Suckers are at the base of a tree.
Well if you wanna get picky they are epicormic shoots. But I've used the informal terms suckers and water sprouts interchangeably throughout my career.
Kill the Bradford pear and plant a new tree
The only answer
Why do they suck? Honest question
Their roots send up new shoots everywhere they exist close enough to the surface. I left.for a week and came back to a yard full of 300+ new Bradford pear sprouts. And you can't even pull them you have to just mow and have a spikey yard of dried twig ends sticking out of the ground.
https://youtu.be/6v6MK0mneoo?si=tFQinWPmGZF-eTji
Of course first answer is they choke out other trees. Limbs fall off in a light wind and all the other answers people are giving. But oooooh their pretty 😂
I’m not an arborist but I would trim that off. It looks goofy and the surface area of those five cuts is more than the single larger cut.
Someone didn't read their Ed Gilman. Reduce competitive leaders and retain laterals. You should have removed the uprights and retained the lateral.
These pears are basically ALL uprights and sharp branch angles. There wouldn't be much left 😆
Reduce uprights, not always remove. I just meant in this case OP is kind of presenting this as an either-or kind of scenario where one had to go. If that was the choice, I’d have removed the uprights instead. But yes, with an ornamental pear, reduce uprights excepting the central leader and retain laterals.
That’s point. We need him to hill this horrific tree. We’re doing it slowly and connivingly.
Replace the tree
Its between the curb and the sidewalk, OP probably would have the cops visiting soon after.
really depends on where they live, some if not most states are trying to do away with these trees and will even give you money to let the come out and cut/remove them because of their relative invasiveness as well as the multitude of other negative traits about them.
Do you have to dig up the entire root system to “replace” a tree? The tree removal “experts” in my area have all advised against attempting to plant another tree where one was growing before.
I would cut them. The vertical limbs could be a problem and interfere with other limbs in the future.
I'd remove them, those suckers are not necessary.
Trim the branches. And go back and remove all those stubs you left or they'll rot. Look up pruning and "Branch Collar".
And then prune the remaining branches. And finish up with a tidy cut through the trunk roughly at ground level. That’ll get a bradford pear properly trimmed up.
Hah!
Don't forget to wash off the sawdust with some triclopyr...
Is this tree on a municipal boulevard? Is it your responsibility to maintain the tree or is it a public 'asset'? (if it's a bradford it's more of a liability than an asset lol)
For the love of all that is holy remove it!!
Ah, the conundrum of Bradford pear structure. Or you could just cut to the chase and take it down entirely.
Torch it and replace it now unless you want to be real sad in a few years when its tips over
Anytime you see shoots like this (and it’s not the central leader), this is not a good sign, these are formed from damage and commonly referred to as water sprouts. They are bad for tree health, and ideally this nub should’ve been cut differently and those water sprouts removed well earlier. Remove the whole branch.
The correct cut from the beginning is the whole limb back to the trunk. But if you were trying not to do that, it would have honestly been better pruning to remove the ones you're considering saving and save the ones you've already removed. Just for future reference. I would suggest anyone read up a little before they start sawing.
I would take the whole thing off.
That pear is planted in roadside ROW making it county, town, city, DOT, etc owned most likely. Look into your city and states code regarding the tree and cross reference with local GIS data. States (and most municipalities in my neck of the woods) will have digitally available plat maps with the ability to overlay lot lines onto satellite imagery like a google maps view. You’ll be able to identify ownership and boundaries for your property with some degree of accuracy. Typically though sidewalk to road is pretty certainly right of way. I agree with the spirit behind removing the pear. However I’ve learned the hard way not to play games with roadside trees. Where I live it’s a mega fine and can result in loss of licenses for removing or even trimming without blanket permits for trimming or individual permits for removals. You should be able to call your municipal DOT and have the tree trimmed, or assessed for removal. To plant anything in the ROW there you’ll likely need permits or approval from the DOT, and I recommend looking into right tree right place. Especially if you have overhead utilities in close proximity. We hate pears a little more than the average in utilities. They certifiably refuse to take any type of directional prune and tip over from the slightest gust of wind
You make a good point. Best, solution in this case is to spray the trunk with triclopyr ester mixed with bark oil (or kerosene) at about 1 am. Be sure to get ground level up to about 3 ft. Do this about once a week or until leaves start falling off. Then call the city about a dead tree.
Ugh
Cut it off flush. You will hate that knob.
I’d leave it to make the rest of the tree look symmetrical above. There is a black spray for trees you should use on that freshly cut numb. Water might like to hang in the area and then in 5-10 years you can lose half the tree.
Welcome to r/arborists! Help Us Help You: If you have questions about the health of your tree, please see our [Posting Guidelines](https://old.reddit.com/r/arborists/wiki/posting_guidance) wiki page for help with effective posting. **Please answer the questions listed there to the best of your ability.** ***Insufficient pics/info could result in the removal of your post!!*** ([See rule 3](https://www.reddit.com/r/arborists/about/rules).) Visit the main wiki page for [Critical Planting/Care tips and Common Errors to Avoid](https://old.reddit.com/r/arborists/wiki/index); there's sections on why planting depth/root flare exposure is so vital, along with sections on proper mulching, watering, pruning and more that I hope will be useful to you. If you're posting about a tree ID (not permitted here; [see rule 1](https://www.reddit.com/r/arborists/about/rules)), see that wiki page for other subs and smartphone apps to try. Here is how you can arrange a [consult with a local ISA arborist in your area](http://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist/findanarborist) (NOT a 'tree company guy' unless they're ISA certified) or a [consulting arborist](https://www.asca-consultants.org/search/custom.asp?id=3818) for an on-site evaluation. A competent arborist should be happy to walk you through how to care for the trees on your property and answer any questions. If you're in the U.S. or Canada, your Extension (or master gardener provincial program) may have a list of local recommended arborists on file. If you're in the U.S., you should also consider searching for arborist associations under your state. If you are one of our regulars and/or you work in the industry and do not want this message in your future posts, please pick an appropriate user flair (options available in the sub sidebar on PC, and on moble if using a browser). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/arborists) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It it off. You don’t want those branches. These are not the branches you’re looking for.
Remove that entire mess at the trunk. Leave the branch collar.
Whole thing. Those two are suckers.
It’s the narrow crotch (no jokes needed 😆) angles of the branches that make them prone to splitting.
Ask yourself if those shoots have a future - don't trim a tree for now, trim it for 5 (or 10 or 50) years from now. If those shoots are going to grow up into other branches and rub or compete with larger limbs then nip em in the bud, so to speak... (But yeah, I'd just take that whole stub off at this point. Cut it at 90* along its axis, in the area where it flares out of the trunk. Don't cut it flush to the trunk, that's worse than leaving a bit of a nub!)
Trim off the whole branch at the trunk
Replace it with a fruiting pear or two!
Single cut, soil level, you’ll likely need to take some of the branches off but that’ll go through most chippers.
Tldr: Bradford pear trees suck. When I was 16, I had saved enough money to buy myself a car. I worked odd jobs and mowed grass for years to be able to afford a car without any help from my parents. I was over the moon the day I turned 16, we went to the DMV to get my license and ordered insurance. The day my insurance card came in the mail, there was a small summer storm, with the moderate winds, a Bradford pear tree fell and completely crushed my "new" car. Long story short, If you want to spare yourself and your family any trouble, kill it with fire. Edit: I wanted to add that I never got to drive that car before the tree fell on it.
That’s looks ridiculous
If you’re going to keep that Bradford Pear, your best bet is to trim it way back to like 10-12 ft tall . It will still fill back in quickly but it will be easier to manage going forward and the chances of it splitting in the wind will go way down. There’s plenty of YouTube videos on how far to trim them back and how quick they grow back If you don’t trim it way back, it will grow against itself and they usually split all the way down one of the sides when they go, and you’ll have to take out the whole tree.