While I am big proponent of traveling enlarging one's perspective, the funny thing is that I find some things are more of the same when I return home. For instance: trees I love & those I badmouth. One tree I have never planted and encourage clients to remove from their properties, is Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford,' the much-maligned (for good reason) Bradford Pear. The main reason not to use it lies in its weak branch structure. The limbs are too close, often resulting in making the tree susceptible to wind & ice damage that splits off branches. Above you can see another problem: this photo was taken right after New Year's....many leaves still remain on the tree. This too can weight down the limbs and cause damage. Also, it is not a native plant and thus significantly reduces the number of insects feeding off it, thus diminishing a vital food source for birds. As part of my "Karmic Comeuppance," I get to watch this tree intimately on the village parkway out our front window. People like it for the flowers, but hey, in my quest to look beyond flowers, I can't see many good qualities besides that & fall color...also, our former dog ate tons of the fallen fruit which upset her digestive system.
As I've mentioned before, the back provides a more calming view. It's part shade and away from cars, so the backyard offers a different environment for trees. Here, you can see the native Ostrya virginiana (Hophornbeam) leafless and showing off its interesting branch structure. If you were to get close, you could also see its cool bark and whimsical catkins...its one sensitivity is to salt, but it can take very dry conditions & shade. This is one of my favorites trees.
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