Pyrus calleryana- Callery Pear
Description
General: A flowering deciduous tree growing 30 to 50’ in height. Pyramidal in its youth and broadening over time.
Leaves: Alternate, simple and ovate, 1 to 3.” Glossy dark green with variable scarlet purple and yellow shades in the fall.
Bark: Grayish brown with ridges and furrows.
Flowers: 3” white corymbs that bloom just before or along with leaves in mid April. Malodorus.
Fruit: A small rounded russet pome ½” across and hidden by foliage.
Attributes: Useful as a specimen, shade or street tree.
Culture
Hardiness: Zones 5-8.
Growing Conditions: Very soil adaptable and tolerant of dryness and pollution. Prefers well drained loams and full sun.
Maintenance: Susceptible to limb breakage or splitting due to weak wood and poor branching structure as well as fireblight.
Transplanting: Easily transplanted.
Our Experience
Experience at Great Hill
On Great hill we feature Pyrus calleryana ‘Aristocrat’ in our English garden. Where there were six once planted, only one remains fully intact. We’ve experienced the all too common pear pitfall, splitting. Due to being weakly wooded and having poor branching structure (tight crotching and many branches developing along a common length of trunk), these trees can literally split in half following a strong storm or wind event. The other issue with the callery pear is its invasive tendencies. As such, there is a push in the industry for selecting flowering alternatives to this tree.
Pear Bloom Data
| Year | Bud Break | Full Bloom | Bloom Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | April 19 | May 7 | May 18 |
| 2021 | April 19 | April 28 | May 11 |
| 2022 | April 18 | May 1 | May 13 |
| 2023 | NO BLOOM |