In this WTOP News article, Lou Meyer, business developer for Davey's mid-Atlantic region discusses why Virginia is looking to remove Callery pear trees in the region.
The once-popular Callery pear is blooming in suburbs across Virginia and throughout much of the eastern and midwestern U.S.
The Callery pear, also known as the Bradford pear, is an ornamental tree that was imported to the U.S. in the early 1900s from China and Vietnam.
“We imported it because it’s a beautiful tree, aesthetically. It has dark green leaves. Right now, in springtime, white flowers are prolific and everywhere, and they’ve got really pretty fall color, as well,” says Lou Meyer, arborist with Davey tree services.
So, what’s the problem?
“What we realize now is that they’re an invasive species,” Meyer said.
The Callery pear’s inedible fruits outcompete native fruits to reseed and sprout, Meyer said.
“They leaf-out before most of our native species of trees do, so our seeds that are starting to come out of the ground are shaded-out by the pear, because (the Callery pear’s) leaves come out first,” he said.
To read more about Virginia's project, click here.
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