The Bradford Pear Tree Creates A Mass Of White Blooms
The
Bradford Pear in zones five through
nine is one of the first true signs of springs arrival.
The buds of this tree specimen begin to appear in
February and by March in some locations, the
splendid white clusters of flowers show their
beauty.This tree specimen loves full sun but can take
partial shade. It is considered a rapid grower and
will adapt to a variety of soil conditions.
The tree can mature to forty to fifty feet high
and anywhere from twenty five to thirty feet
wide. The life expectancy is around thirty to
forty years. This specimen looks fantastic along
a driveway, a backdrop, along the side of sides
of a house, as well as just a single planting.
Look in
examples of landscape designs and get some ideas for a Bradford Pear.
One of the highlights of this family is seeing a series
of trees in a row. The fullness of the tree with its mass of
blooms, creates the image of being snow covered.
The Bradford Pear is deciduous and the bloom
time usually lasts a little over a week. Once
the flowers are gone, the leaves become a rich
green color. This is a great shade three throughout
the hot summer months. When fall arrives and
many specimens show off different shades of
yellow and orange, this tree highlights a landscape
with deep red to purple tones.
One of the interesting aspects of this tree despite
its name, it is native to China. This tree does not
produce fruit and is considered an ornamental
variety.
There is a draw back to the Bradford Pear. Even
though it produces beautiful spring time flowers,
and a great shade tree, this specimen can be
bridle. Ice and snow are an enemy to this specimen.
I don't recommend to my clients to plant this
tree close to foundations or other
outdoor features.
Many of these specimens are planted
in front yards. A couple of years ago in
our zone seven, we had an ice storm. One
of the Bradford's toppled over and a main
limb broke off to within one foot of our front
door. There were also a couple other of
these specimens damaged.
This is one of the trees that was damaged.
It amazed me how well it survived, and
began to heal and produce new growth. A major lower part of the trunk
was damaged. The tree now takes on an unusual
shape, but still produces a wide mass of
blossoms.
There is a smaller tree that is considered
more durable and sturdy and is sometimes
substituted for this specimen. The
Cleveland Pear
will also create a wonderful
springtime display of flowers.
The Bradford Pear is a favorite to many
people. Despite its tendency to
be somewhat bridle, the mass of
vibrant white blossoms in spring allows
you to put the winter months behind,
and look forward to the warmth of
the upcoming months.
