For decades the Bradford pear was the go-to street and yard tree across Central Ohio — fast-growing, neatly shaped, and covered in white flowers every spring. Today it is one of the trees we are most often asked to remove in Dublin and the surrounding suburbs. Ohio now classifies the Callery pear (the species that includes Bradford) as an invasive plant, and the tree's own structure makes it a storm liability. Here's what every homeowner should know.
What Is a Callery (Bradford) Pear?
"Bradford" is the best-known variety of Pyrus calleryana, the Callery pear. You'll recognize it by its dense, rounded crown, glossy leaves, brilliant white blossoms in early spring (with a famously unpleasant smell), and good red-purple fall color. It was planted by the thousands in subdivisions, parking lots, and tree lawns because it grows quickly and looks tidy when young.
Why Ohio Banned It
Callery pear was sold as a sterile, well-behaved ornamental — but different varieties cross-pollinate and produce fertile fruit that birds spread far and wide. The escaped seedlings grow into dense, thorny thickets that crowd out native plants along fence lines, roadsides, and open fields. Because of that spread, the Ohio Department of Agriculture added Callery pear to its invasive-plants list, and as of January 1, 2023 it is illegal to sell, grow, or distribute the tree in Ohio. You are not required to remove one already on your property, but the state's clear message is that these trees should be phased out — and replaced with better options.
The Bigger Problem: They Split Apart
Even setting the invasive issue aside, the Bradford pear has a structural flaw that makes it dangerous as it matures. Its limbs grow at narrow, crowded angles from nearly the same point on the trunk, with weak "included bark" unions that can't hold the weight of a full canopy. The result is predictable: once these trees reach 15–20 years old, they tend to split — frequently right down the middle — under wind, ice, or a heavy spring storm. We see it every storm season across Dublin, Powell, and Hilliard. A pear that looks perfectly healthy can drop a major limb (or half the tree) onto a roof, car, or fence with no warning.
Should You Remove Yours?
Removal makes sense in most cases, and the calculus is simpler than with many trees:
- Strongly consider removal if the tree is reaching maturity, has limbs branching low and tight, sits near your house, driveway, or a play area, or has already lost a limb.
- It's urgent if you can already see a split or crack forming at a main union — that tree is on borrowed time.
- Plan ahead even for a younger, sound-looking pear: it's far cheaper and safer to remove and replace it now than to clean up a failure later.
Because the wood is brittle and the canopy is heavy, taking down a mature pear safely is a job for a crew with proper rigging — not a weekend chainsaw project. See our guidance on the signs a tree needs removal and typical tree removal costs in Dublin.
What to Plant Instead
The good news: you can get the same spring flowers and fall color from trees that actually belong here. Strong native and non-invasive replacements include serviceberry, eastern redbud, flowering dogwood, and American hornbeam for smaller ornamentals — or a red or sugar maple or swamp white oak if you want a real shade tree. These support local wildlife and won't split themselves apart in a decade.
Dublin Tree Pros can remove an aging or hazardous Callery pear, grind out the stump, and help you choose a better tree for the spot. Request a free assessment. If a pear has already split in a storm, we also offer emergency tree removal.