Bradford Pears: Enjoy ‘Em While You Can

It’s not just cherry trees and magnolias that are in early blossom. Bloomfield Ave. and many of the side streets in Montclair are  showing the magnificent white blooms of the Bradford Pear. But don’t do what I did when I moved to town 22 years ago, saw this display. The Bradford Pear, I later learned, has a weak branching structure and is highly susceptible to storm damage. Sure enough, last spring, in a very light snow, my two-decades old Bradford Pear dropped a huge branch — and we replaced it with a perennial garden.

Seeing so many pear trees on streets in town, including some smaller ones, I wondered whether the town was still planting them. A definitive “no” came from town arborist Steve Schuckman, who explained that, in addition to their weak branching patterns, the Bradford Pear is also an invasive species — which may explain some of the smaller ones around.

“The Township of Montclair does not plant any pear variety any longer. The County may have planted some on Valley and Grove, maybe Watchung, but we do not and have not for many years,” Schuckman said. “In addition to its poor branch attachment, it is also an invasive species. Saw plenty seedlings in Central and South Jersey last week. We are replacing damaged pears in business districts with flowering cherry and Japanese tree lilac, and some redbud.” He added, regarding the pear blossoms, “Enjoy them while you can!”