Bradford Pear

Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford') is the ornamental pear to plant when you want shade quickly under a broad, even crown. It reaches around 10m tall and 7m wide, covers itself in white blossom before the leaves appear, and closes the year in red and burgundy. Growth is fast, it copes with poor soil and dry summers, and it asks for almost nothing once established.

Why you'll love it

• Shade in a hurry. One of the quicker deciduous trees to build a canopy, so an advanced plant casts real shade within a few seasons.
• Two seasons of display. White flowers cover the bare branches in early spring, and the glossy leaves turn red to burgundy in autumn.
• Deciduous where it helps. Bare branches let winter sun onto the house and the summer canopy blocks it, which an evergreen gets exactly backwards.
• Tough on difficult sites. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, drought tolerant once established and unbothered by poor soil, so a compacted new estate block suits it.

Where it works best

Driveways and avenues. Plant 5m apart. That spacing lets the rounded crowns meet overhead without the trunks crowding, and keeps the canopy line even.

Shade tree for a lawn. A single specimen with 7m of width gives a generous shaded circle. Allow at least 4m clearance from the house and from paving.

Screening at height. A row at 5m screens an upper storey outlook through the warm months, then opens up once the leaves drop.

Growing Bradford Pear in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, always: shade costs both flower and autumn colour. It belongs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and the colour is deepest where autumn nights turn genuinely cold.

Soil. Almost any soil works, including clay, provided water moves away rather than sitting. Dig the hole twice the width of the root ball and mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers so the roots go down rather than sideways. After that it is genuinely drought tolerant, and a slow release fertiliser each spring is all it wants.

Pruning. This is the one job that matters. The branch angles are naturally narrow and tight forks can split in a storm, so prune through the first three winters to leave well spaced limbs. After that, remove crossing wood only.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it from 200mm pots in packs of six, through 400mm and 30L, up to 45L, 75L, 100L, 200L and 400L specimens. The 200mm and 400mm sizes are young whips, the sensible choice for a long avenue if you can wait. From 45L up you are buying a formed trunk and a head of branches on day one.

It arrives bare in winter and in leaf the rest of the year, and some leaf loss in transit is normal. Trees 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

• Read the ornamental pear care guide.
• Compare the range in our deciduous tree collection.
• See other options for an avenue or driveway planting.
• Browse trees chosen for autumn colour.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant an avenue?

Five metres between trunks. Closer than that and the crowns compete, which pushes growth upward and thins the lower canopy.

Will it split in a storm?

It can if it is never pruned, because the branch forks are naturally tight. Three winters of formative pruning to establish well spaced limbs removes most of that risk.

Does it get good autumn colour in warm areas?

Colour is reliable in cool and warm temperate gardens and best where autumn nights are cold. In subtropical gardens expect a shorter, duller display.

Do the flowers smell?

The blossom carries a strong scent for a week or two in early spring that not everyone enjoys. Worth weighing up before planting one outside a bedroom window.