Red Spire Ornamental Pear

Red Spire Ornamental Pear (Pyrus calleryana 'Red Spire') is the deciduous feature tree scaled for a suburban block. It reaches about 8m tall and only 4m wide, holding a tight upright shape without staking or corrective pruning. White blossom covers the bare branches in early spring, and the glossy foliage finishes the year in red and burgundy.

Why you'll love it

• Tall and narrow by nature. At roughly 8m by 4m it gives real height along a boundary or driveway without spreading across the lawn.
• Two seasons of display. White blossom on bare wood in early spring, then red and burgundy autumn colour in cooler districts.
• Roots that stay out of trouble. The root system is non-invasive, so the tree can sit near a driveway, a path or a service trench.
• Tough once it is away. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, wind tolerant and content in poor soil, which is why this pear turns up in street verges.

Where it works best

Driveways and avenues. Plant 3m apart for an even avenue. The narrow crowns line up into a corridor of blossom without crowding each other.

Screening and privacy. The same 3m spacing gives an upright screen along a fence line, with one honest trade off: the tree is deciduous, so the screen thins over winter.

Small gardens and feature planting. A single specimen suits a front yard or courtyard corner where a spreading shade tree would be too much.

Growing Red Spire Ornamental Pear in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun all day for the best blossom and leaf colour. This is a tree for cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, where winter cold triggers both the colour and the flower buds. It never gets that chill in tropical and subtropical gardens.

Soil. Undemanding. It grows in poor and compacted ground, though drainage matters more than fertility. Work compost through the backfill and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Deep soak weekly through the first two summers while the roots go down, after which it handles dry spells on its own. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough.

Pruning. Very little is required, and heavy pruning spoils the shape. Remove crossing or damaged branches in winter while the tree is bare, and never shorten the central leader, since that is what keeps the crown narrow.

What to expect when it arrives

This pear is sold in a single advanced size, a 90L tree, so you are buying height and a formed crown on day one. It arrives staked, and the stake should stay in place through the first windy season.

Stock dispatched between late autumn and early spring travels bare of leaves. That is dormancy, not damage, and a dormant tree transplants better than a leafy one. 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

• Read our complete ornamental pear care guide.
• Compare the range in our ornamental trees collection.
• See the other trees suited to driveways and avenues.
• Browse more plants with autumn colour.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Three metres apart for an avenue or an upright screen. Closer than that and the crowns crowd, pushing growth sideways and undoing the shape you bought the tree for.

Will it screen my fence line in winter?

Only partly. From late autumn the screen becomes a lattice of bare branches until the new leaves push in spring, so choose an evergreen if you need year round cover.

Will the roots lift my driveway or paving?

The roots are non-invasive, which makes this one of the safer trees to plant near hard surfaces and services. Leave about 2m of clearance as good practice.

Will I get autumn colour in a warm garden?

The colour depends on cold nights, so it is strongest in cool temperate and elevated districts. In milder warm temperate gardens expect a shorter, softer display.