Aristocrat Ornamental Pear

Aristocrat Ornamental Pear (Pyrus calleryana 'Aristocrat') is the deciduous street tree scaled for a real garden, reaching about 10m tall and 6m wide with a broad pyramidal head. White blossom smothers the bare branches in early spring, glossy green summer foliage follows, and the leaves finish in red and burgundy before dropping. Its roots are non-invasive, so it can sit near a driveway or footpath without lifting it.

Why you'll love it

• Three distinct seasons of interest. Spring blossom, dense summer shade, then deep red and burgundy autumn colour before a bare winter frame that lets light back into the house.
• Low maintenance by nature. Once the framework is set in the first few years it asks for almost nothing beyond a winter tidy.
• Wide branch angles. Broader and less rigidly upright than 'Capital', with strong crotch angles that shed storm winds instead of splitting.
• Hardy on every front. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, wind tolerant and drought tolerant once established, so it copes with a Melbourne winter and an Adelaide summer alike.

Where it works best

Driveways and avenues. Plant 5m to 6m apart down a drive for a matched row whose canopies meet overhead in time. Keep 2m of clearance from the edge of the paving.

Shade and feature planting. A single tree over a lawn or entertaining area gives dense summer shade and drops it in winter exactly when you want the sun back. Allow a 6m circle.

Screening a first floor outlook. Spaced 4m apart the canopies close into a leafy upper-level screen through the warmer months. Because it is deciduous, do not rely on it for year round privacy.

Growing Aristocrat Ornamental Pear in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It suits warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and the colder the autumn, the stronger the leaf colour: reliable red through Victoria, the tablelands and the Adelaide Hills, softer and briefer in warm coastal districts.

Soil. Adaptable to clay, loam and sand provided the site drains. Dig a hole twice the width of the rootball, backfill with the native soil rather than pure compost, and stake only if the site is exposed.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers while the roots go down, then it needs very little. A complete fertiliser in early spring is enough, with 75mm of mulch kept clear of the trunk.

Pruning. Prune in winter while dormant. Remove crossing branches and any tight vertical forks in the first few years to set the framework, then leave it alone.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow this pear in five sizes: 400mm, 30L, 45L, 100L and 200L, with the 30L currently on backorder. The 400mm and 30L are young trees with a formed leader, quick to establish and the sensible choice for a long driveway run. From 45L up you are buying real height on day one.

Deciduous stock despatched from late autumn through winter may arrive bare of leaves. That is dormancy, not damage, and bare-rooted-looking trees establish faster. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the top ornamental pear varieties
• Browse trees suited to driveways and avenues
• See other plants with strong autumn colour
• Trees with non-invasive roots

Common questions

How far apart should I plant them along a driveway?

Five to six metres apart gives each tree room for its 6m canopy while still reading as a continuous avenue. Tighten to 4m only if you want a solid screen and accept narrower crowns.

Will it get good autumn colour in a warm climate?

Colour depends on cold nights, so the display is strongest in cool temperate and Mediterranean districts. In warmer coastal gardens the leaves still turn, but later, briefer and more bronze than red.

Does it produce fruit?

It sets only tiny hard pears that birds take, so there is no fruit drop to clean up off a driveway. It is grown for flower, shade and autumn colour rather than a crop.