Fire Blight indeed.

Dax

cut and run.. especially if they could fall on the house ... i wouldnt spend good money.. chasing bad.. having large trees sprayed ...

you acknowledge our old posts and hatred ...

you know they have to go ...

and yet you write a post asking if we will forego all our previous writing.. and tell you you dont have a care in the tree world ...

that might define optimism ... lol

ken

Here is something else for you to consider. There are millions of those damn things around, all genetically identical. I'm seeing fireblight on them where there was little before. What do you suppose is happening? Think about it before scrolling down.
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The fireblight bacteria is under substantial selection pressure to evolve into Callery Pear Killers. Being bacterial pathogens, they will be very good at doing just that. You can not kill enough of the bacteria to make a significant difference,

So while you may not like the attitude of the tree people toward over planted crap trees, these are the people you are now asking for help from yet again (ironic isn't it). Nature could give a damn whether you want to listen or not. Your trees are gonners either by storm, chainsaw or disease. Accept reality and move on to something better with a more realistic attitude.

Arktrees

When I drove into the neighbouring town early this spring, the streets were alive with flowering callery pear. You just got to admit, the sight was beautiful. It made me sad because I know what they'll look like for years to come as they go nasty and sit there for more years, dead before someone comes up with the funding to yank them out. It also makes me understand why people, even when they know better, insist on buying them. I had lovely, younger one I somehow did't realise was a callery and got planted directly under our utility wires. When the power company crew came around I suggested that they just take it completely down BEFORE it became an issue. It would have been spectacular this spring because it was young and still healthy. I know how fast twenty years go by, so figured I'd better just get what had to be done.........done..........whilst it was free and before the fact. sigh.

Thanks folks. I appreciate the confirmation (although I didn't need the snark). I knew I was facing a nightmare, although not as much of a nightmare if one of these trees falls on my house.

As I said... I wouldn't have planted these trees, but they were there when we bought the house. I'm only just now learning what a problem they are. So any attitude should not be directed toward me.

My question, while perhaps not clear, was how immediate my danger likely is. Unfortunately this is more likely more of a financial question (with four 25'+ trees to cut down) than a botanical one.

No one can predict the danger, immediate or otherwise. Exactly how close are they to the house? Would any of the large limbs above the tree crotch hit the house (or a vehicle or...) if they fell?

It's a shame; they're lovely trees. But in Maryland, it was not uncommon to seem them split themselves virtually in two without a whole lot of provocation.

There are four trees. One is too close to the driveway, the other three are lined up on the west side of the house. While none have limbs directly hanging over anything but lawn, they are close enough to structures that... well, let's just say I recognize that I have a huge, expensive problem.

Now to find a tree cutter with a four-for-one deal.

Thanks all, even if it's just confirming what I knew I needed to do. I guess I need to get this done before I sneeze and knock one over.

I had a huge, standard apple hit with fire blight around ten years ago. I know for a fact it was, because our extension agent was on our property with a group of M.G.s in training and he concurred with my conclusion. It was too large to prune out the affected branches, and I wasn't about to treat it with antibiotic (yes, it can be done). The tree has been free of it every year since. As the last post suggests, there is no way to tell how long or when your trees will decline or just fail, especially from one picture and a description. Yes, taking them all down is a big undertaking and expensive in some localities and our thoughts on it should be just that. Our general opinion on those trees in general. I have seen an ancient one (as far as callery pear goes) what had been standing many years and always enjoyed it in bloom as I drove past the farm on which it was planted. But is was sure shag nasty when it finally did shatter.........and I can't think of a better word to use.........after a storm. If you have doubts before you undertake removal, consult an arborist or your extension agent. If you do decide to remove them, get several quotes. There can be a wide range in fees for tree removal.

The ones which are not a danger to your family or home can be left in place and just the hazard tree removed.

Benefits are spreading out the cost and getting a replacement starte.

ya know, tree snobs hate these trees but they are really not THAT bad. there's a bunch in my neighborhood and they all look really nice, especially when in bloom. the only downside is the stink they cause for about 2 days when in full bloom. I'm speaking about the Cleveland variety.

maybe in another 20 years they will start to have problems (most appear to be that old now). but just about every other tree in the neighborhood looks worse than the Cleveland pears. Many red maples dying from root girdle. countless half-dead colorado spruce. the oak trees look starved for nutrients. don't even get me started on the Ash trees....

but the locust, cottonwood, and cleveland pears are all quite healthy (and of course the blaze maples, silk lilacs, yoshino cherries, redbuds, and dozen norway spruce that I have planted. cuz I take care of them...).

with that I will put my flame suit on and prepare to get shredded....

After every storm, there are a half dozen broken Bradford pears in the housing complex.

My neighbor has lost BOTH of his trees in the last 5 years.

On my block there have been (4) trees taken down, ... and (4) trees significantly damaged within the last (5) years. All were Bradfords.

When my builder asked me what tree I wanted in the front yard 15 years ago, ... I said ... anything but a Bradford Pear ...

Fortunately, ... I didn't get an Ash ...

There's gonna be a bunch of those to take out shortly ...

I don't think one flame deserves another, and calling anyone who holds a Bradford in low esteem a tree snob is in itself a flame. They're beautiful trees and that's part of their problem since have integrity issues, are sorely overused and common as dirt, as well as invasive as all get-out. Any tree can be an eye sore or mishandled, and many in public plantings are. I plant any tree what strikes my fancy, but I do so with open eyes and fully expect to replace those who are short -lived, open my wallet and budget for tree care without considering it an unexpected expense. Planting a tree is sort of like birthing a kid, or adopting a pet. You're in it for the long haul and if you make your choices without taking that sort of stuff into consideration then it's your own bad. Just don't expect people who know better to enable you.