The Perennial Tree You Should Avoid Planting Despite Its Stunning Blooms

Trees covered in blooms are a delight in the landscape. From crepe myrtle to cherry trees, flowering trees bring romance to your yard and add a unique element to your landscape. Unfortunately, not all flowering trees are a good option for North America. Despite their beauty, the 'Cleveland Select' pear and other callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) trees should be avoided at all costs, as they are invasive species that can cause problems both for your property and for native tree species. 

Despite their name, 'Cleveland Select' pears are not native to the city of Cleveland, or to anywhere else in North America. Instead, they are a cultivar of callery pears, a species native to Asia. While these trees were once commonly recommended for landscaping in yards and throughout cities in the U.S., that is no longer the case. Now these trees are on many states', including Ohio's, invasive species lists and can no longer be sold or planted there. While this may seem like an extreme reaction to such a pretty tree, 'Cleveland Select' and other callery cultivars not only can invade forests and other areas to outcompete native trees, but they are also prone to losing limbs and causing property damage due to falling branches. And that's not even taking into account their blooms' smell, which is often compared to rotting fish.

You shouldn't just avoid planting new 'Cleveland Select' pears; you should also remove existing trees from your property. Unfortunately, they are known for resprouting, so they either need to be dug up completely or have their stumps treated with herbicide. Be sure to recheck the area regularly to ensure there aren't any new seedlings growing, as well. 'Cleveland Select' and other callery pears have become such a problem that some university extension offices and local and state governments will provide homeowners who removed theirs with a new native tree free of charge. But even if such a program doesn't exist in your area, you can still plant a native alternative after removing your 'Cleveland Select' pear.

There is a wide variety of native flowering trees to consider as replacements for 'Cleveland Select' pears if you still want to bring stunning color to your spring landscape. The eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) is one especially good option. It is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 9 and, depending on the cultivar, boasts pink, purple, or even white blooms in spring. Flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida) are also a great option. They thrive in zones 5 through 9 and have white or pink flowers in spring.