Get a Native Tree to
Replace a Callery Pear
Preregistration Required
Pickup Information:
Date: check back for our next exchange event
Time: To be announced
Location:
To be announced
The Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) is a non-native, invasive tree that is threatening ecosystems throughout the eastern and midwestern U.S.
DOF’s Callery Pear Exchange program promotes the removal of these invasive trees from the urban landscape to reduce their spread within our natural areas. This program encourages the removal of invasive Callery pear trees by providing Virginia landowners with a replacement native tree. One native tree in a 2-gallon pot will be provided for every Callery pear that has been removed, with a limit of three (3) trees per household. Preregistration is required as a limited number of trees will be available.
For safety reasons, DOF recommends hiring an ISA-certified arborist for tree removal and herbicide treatment to prevent regrowth. Find a certified arborist on the International Society of Arboriculture website.
Tree Exchange Event
Check back for our next one-day tree exchange event to incentivize the removal of up to three Callery pear trees from your property to receive an equal number of native, young, healthy – and free – replacement trees. You must be a Virginia resident removing Callery pear trees from your own privately-owned land. The landowner is responsible for all costs incurred in tree removal.
Background: Callery Pear…an Accidental Invader
The Callery pear tree and its various cultivars were originally introduced as ornamental landscape trees, and quickly took off in popularity due to their ideal shape, showy spring flowers and inexpensive price. The cultivars were once considered to be the perfect neighborhood tree – in part, because they were thought to be sterile. However, when these trees were planted in the landscape, they were able to cross-pollinate and reproduce. The trees spread aggressively into natural areas, aided by birds moving their fruits. Today, you can see wild-type Callery pear trees displacing beneficial native tree species along roadsides, old fields, forest edges and even deep within forests.
On top of these ecological problems, the tree is also a dangerous liability as they are structurally week and prone to snapping and dropping heavy limbs after weather events. As these trees revert to their wild type, they also produce large, sharp thorns that have been known to pop tractor tires. While their spring blooms might look pretty, they produce a scent that many consider off-putting. All in all, Callery pears are not the perfect tree they were once thought to be.
Identifying Callery Pear Trees after Spring
Callery pear trees begin blooming in March before any of our native species which makes them easy to identify in the spring. Identification can be trickier in the fall without the showy white flowers, but there are still many other ways to identify Callery pear trees:
- alternate branched with shiny, rounded leaves and serrated edges
- many small, hard, round fruits, brown in color with white specks
- fruits may have already begun dropping from the trees
- in the fall, Callery foliage turns bright red
Effective Callery Pear Removal
Callery pear trees are vigorous stump sprouters, meaning that if you cut the tree down, it will send up lots of new sprouts to try and re-grow. Stumps should be treated with a herbicide to effectively kill the tree and prevent resprouting. You can accomplish this using a method called “cut stump herbicide treatment.” Watch our how-to video.
Frequently Asked Questions
To be invasive, an organism must be non-native and cause some sort of damage either economically, to human health, or to the environment. Callery pear trees fit all of these criteria. They are non-native and their cultivars were widely planted by humans. These cultivars were able to cross-polinate and reproduce, and their offspring have been spreading aggressively through our natural areas and across the landscape. As these trees spread in the wild, they outcompete our beneficial native species.
On top of their negative environmental impact, Callery pear trees and their cultivars are also problematic for people. These trees are structurally weak and are prone to snapping limbs and breaking after wind or ice events, making them extremely dangerous. When they revert to their wild type, they produce large, sharp thorns that have been known to pop tractor tires. And while their spring blooms might look pretty, they produce a particular scent that many consider to be off-putting.
When you remove a Callery pear tree in your yard, you are reducing the ability for these trees to spread in the wild. Replacing these problematic invasive trees with a native tree also provides more habitat for wildlife and helps improve the urban forest.
To participate, you must be a Virginia resident removing Callery pear trees from your own privately-owned land and must preregister online ahead of the event. After you’ve registered, you must facilitate removal of the tree(s) from your property and take a photo of the tree after removal. The tree must be identifiable as a Callery pear (i.e., in flower or close-up shot of buds, leaves or fruit). Make sure to bring this photo with you on the day of the event (on your cell phone is fine) so we can confirm removal and give you your native replacement tree!
One native tree will be provided for every Callery pear that has been removed, with a limit of three (3) trees per household.
DOF staff will select a variety of native tree species which will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for those who have preregistered. Specific species cannot be reserved ahead of time. DOF staff will be on-site to provide recommendations for suitable tree species for your area.
Unfortunately, there is only one date and location for replacement tree pick up this year.
Property owners are responsible for removal and treatment of their Callery pear trees. We recommend hiring a certified arborist. Please review our best management practices document for more information about proper removal.
Additional Resources
| Image | Title | ID | Description | Content Type | View | hf:tax:document-category | hf:tax:Media |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Callery Pear Control Best Management Practices – Controlling the Invasive Pyrus Calleryana | FT0067 | Forestry topic information sheet provides best management practices for controlling the invasive Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana). | Publication | View | forest-health | publication |
 | Virginia’s Least Wanted: Callery Pear | Callery pear is a rapid-growing tree that poses a major threat to Virginia’s plant biodiversity. In this video, we’ll discuss how to identify and remove Callery pear trees. | Video | View | forest-health | video |
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