Classic!

Resin

Wonderful pics. Keep those close at hand for the next bradford pear thread.
How old would you estimate that tree to be? They really kept the branching pretty low on that it looks.

Took the pictures for posterity as an example. Neighborhood is about thirty years old, so this tree, maybe 25. My NEXT DOOR neighbors had the same thing happen on their Bradford about 5 years ago in an ice storm; cars were out of the way. I told them that they should remove it, but it remains... This one down the street - no major storm, just softened with the weight of new growth...crunchola.
hortster

Definitely bookmark so we can show for the next new BP enthusiast in April who must must must have one.

Dan

Yeah...those are great trees!

A picture one of my friends sent me of his neighbor's Bradford. I remember 5 years back hearing the tree was supposed to be in a safe place protected from the winds and pruned professionally every year.

Oops, this was taken just after the second time 1/3 of the tree fell off lol

{{gwi:359918}}

Is that some kind of topiary? LOL

They only deserve 90% of the villainy they are given ;).

I planted one on my large lot where it literally will not bother one thing when it cracks in half in 25 years. It will fall onto grass. Nothing else. In that situation, it's fine to have a bradford pear. It will be beautiful in the spring and fall. Most people, however, really shouldn't have one, and big box stores really shouldn't stock so many of them every spring.

That homeowner should count themselves lucky they got away with a broken windshield and nothing worse.

I drive the same kind of van. I cut down a mulberry that was leaning and splitting partly because I was afraid it would fall on the van. The other reason was surface roots.

I spent a year researching trees to find one that was not a limb dropper, a splitter, or a toppler. Tall order for my area because it's windy part of the year.

So what did you come up with, dis?

In that situation, it's fine to have a bradford pear.

Not everyone likes "temporary" trees though. If you plant an oak instead, you can have a nice tree for years to come without having to start over again after 25 years. That's how some people think of it, anyway.

they're on the state's invasive list where I live.
in fact, I have a poster in my cubicle at work from the state's environmental outreach program that lists the top invasives, and it's featured in full bloom. lots of folks who stop by say "Oh I didn't know that..."

anyway, the main problem for them in my rural, exurban, suburban mix area is how they take over undeveloped lots, fields and rights of way. it's a mess.

there's a vacant lot that would have been part of a subdivision near me. for whatever reason, it was never built on or managed. it's now thick with these things, varied in height from 5 to 25 feet... they're like the borg

In that situation, it's fine to have a bradford pear.

Don't forget about the issue of invasiveness in most parts of the country...
and the awful smell often present during bloom period in spring...
and the loss of opportunity to grow a decent tree in that spot (as esh ga alluded to)...
and the boredom and weariness caused by limiting your planting choices to such a common mistake.

And one thing that I forgot - as a non-native tree, these trees don't contribute as much to the local environment (food for insects which support birds and so on) as a native tree would. In the case of a white, spring flowering full sun tree, native alternatives might include Hawthorn (Crataegus) and Serviceberry (Amelanchier).

So really, I'd consider it a lost opportunity for the life of the tree. The breakage is really not the most important thing as far as I'm concerned.

Exactamundo, esh, altho urban ecosystems are merely a shell of the surrounding countryside, so any food helps.

Dan

Because I wanted big shade, I chose London plane. Every tree I considered had it's demerits. Planes tend to get mildew but it's a cosmetic problem I could live with. The mildew is not bad in my town because the air is drier than near the coast. These trees seem to love the heat too. Its been in the 100s recently and they've been growing like weeds.

For the back yard I chose crape Myrtle because of the overhead phone and powerlines. I'm planting a whole bunch of them to fill my shade requirement. Love the colors they come in!

All of our other trees that are either on the property or that I've planted are natives, so I allowed the one indulgence on the bradford pear. As far as non-native invasives go, there are worse choices in the grand scheme of things. Number one being tree of heaven...horrible problem here. We cut a big one down that my partner's Grandma had left to grow. I didn't want it pollinating even more of the darned things.

Another big problem for our semi-rural/semi-suburban property are all of the invasive thistles, and there are quite a few bushes with shiny leaves and red berries that are invasive, can't remember their names offhand though.

I have planted two tulip trees and a red maple to add to the white pines, american plum, and american basswood, and the big-tooth aspens, so we are doing OK.

quite a few bushes with shiny leaves and red berries that are invasive

Probably Elaeagnus, also known as Russian olive, Autumn olive, etc. Backs of the leaves are silver colored. Yes, tree of heaven is one of the worst - a real stinker in more ways than one.

Congratulations on your other tree choices, sounds good.

Could be holly up there as well. Regardless, I am intrigued by the choice upthread of crape myrtle for shade (!).

Dan

I had to stick with smallish trees for the back because I didn't want them hunting for the cesspool and poking up into the aforementioned wires. Other limiting factors were a prference for long life, drought tolerance and heat loving. A mature crape can get by with a good soaking every other week in the hot months. Some varieties in California get big enough to provide shade without being enormous. A grove of them will be shady enough.

The gorgeous colors in late summer is the icing on the cake!

I owned a landscape design/construction business in Sacto, so I'm aware of their benefits. It is the shade claim I was intrigued by. Surely another canopy layer and 2+ layers of LAI is a good thing.

Dan

I looked at some of the invasive lists and what we have I believe are glossy buckthorn (rhamnus frangula). They are everywhere. When we move back I'll try to remove some of the but I doubt it'll work.

Russian olives are very common here on the sides of highways and in a few urban disturbed lot but don't see many out around our old property.