Bradford pear trees in Massachusetts are best treated as short-term trees. Their tight, upright branch structure makes them prone to splitting in ice, snow, and wind as they mature, and the Callery pear species they belong to now spreads as an invasive plant. You are not required to remove one, but if yours is large, splitting, or hanging over a house, driveway, or walk, planning its removal and replacement is usually the sensible move.
Zacarias Tree & Landscaping is a family-run tree company based in Lynn since 2002, with ISA-Certified Arborists who assess, remove, and replace trees across Essex and Middlesex Counties. Here is what North Shore homeowners should know before deciding what to do with a Bradford pear.
What a Bradford pear is
Bradford is one variety of Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana), a tree native to eastern Asia. It was planted widely along streets and in yards for its clouds of white spring flowers, glossy leaves, red to purple fall color, and fast growth. It does not produce the pears you eat. The flowers are also known for an unpleasant smell in spring.
Other Callery pear varieties, such as 'Cleveland Select', 'Aristocrat', and 'Chanticleer', were introduced later with somewhat better branch structure. They are still the same species, and they share the invasive problem described below.
Why Bradford pears split
The trouble is in how the tree is built. A Bradford pear sends up many upright limbs from nearly the same point on the trunk, with narrow angles between them. Bark gets trapped inside those tight forks (arborists call it included bark), so the limbs are held together weakly instead of by solid, interlocking wood.
For the first decade or so, that barely matters. As the crown grows heavy, each limb puts more leverage on those weak joints. A wet snow, a glaze of ice, or a nor'easter gust can then peel a whole section away from the trunk, often leaving half a tree standing and a split running down to the base. Once that happens, the remaining tree rarely recovers a safe structure.
Why Callery pear is now a problem across Massachusetts
A single Bradford pear was once thought to be sterile. The catch is that different Callery varieties cross-pollinate, so trees planted near each other set small, hard fruit. Birds eat it and drop the seeds along roadsides, field edges, and open woods, where wild Callery pears grow into dense, often thorny thickets that crowd out native plants.
Because of that spread, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources added Callery pear to the state's Prohibited Plant List in 2024. Nurseries stopped importing and propagating new stock at that point, and sales are being phased out after 2028. The listing does not require homeowners to remove trees already in the ground. It does mean you should not plant a new one, and it is a good reason to replace an aging tree with something better when the time comes.
Keep, prune, or remove?
| What you see | What is nearby | Reasonable next step |
|---|---|---|
| Young, healthy tree with no cracks | Open lawn | Keep for now, watch after each storm, plan a replacement |
| Mature tree with tight forks and heavy crown | House, driveway, walk, or parking | Have an arborist assess it and discuss removal |
| A crack where major limbs meet | Any area people use | Keep people and cars clear and schedule a prompt visit |
| Half the tree already split away | Anything | Plan removal; the remaining structure is rarely sound |
| Wild seedlings sprouting nearby | Beds, fence lines, woods edge | Pull or cut them while small, before thorns develop |
Pruning has limits on this tree. Thinning or shortening heavy limbs can reduce the load on a younger tree for a few years, and our tree trimming and pruning crews do that work. What pruning cannot do is rebuild a weak fork once it has started to crack. Topping the tree is never the answer; it creates large wounds and a flush of even weaker shoots.
After any storm, look for fresh cracks at the main forks, a limb pulling away from the rest of the crown, hanging broken branches, or bare wood that was not there before. Look from a distance, never from underneath. If a limb has come down on a roof, car, or line, our emergency tree service is available around the clock. For a wider checklist of warning signs, see our guide to the signs a tree is dying.
What removal involves
Mature Bradford pears commonly reach 30 feet or more and are often planted close to houses, driveways, and sidewalks, so they are usually taken down in sections rather than felled in one piece. Price depends on height, what the tree could hit, access for equipment, and whether you want the stump ground and the wood hauled away. Our tree removal page explains the process, and every job starts with a free on-site estimate, which is the only way to get an accurate number.
Callery pear can send up new shoots from the stump or roots after it is cut. Grinding the stump and pulling any sprouts that appear over the next season keeps it from coming back as a shrub.
Better trees to plant instead
If you liked the spring flowers and compact size, several trees give you similar value without the splitting or the spread. Match the choice to your sun, soil, and space:
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier): a native small tree with white spring flowers, summer berries birds love, and orange-red fall color.
- Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis): native, with pink-purple flowers along bare branches in spring and heart-shaped leaves.
- Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida): native, with showy spring bracts and red fall color; it wants good drainage and some afternoon shade.
- Disease-resistant crabapple (Malus): heavy spring bloom and small fruit for birds; ask for a variety bred to resist scab.
- American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana): a tough, native small tree with smooth, muscular gray bark that tolerates some shade.
Whatever you choose, check its mature height and spread against the spot, and keep it clear of overhead wires. UMass Extension's landscape program is a good local source for species information. When you are ready, our tree planting service can remove the old pear and plant the replacement in one plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to have a Bradford pear in Massachusetts?
No. The state's Prohibited Plant List restricts importing, propagating, and selling Callery pear, with sales being phased out after 2028. It does not require you to remove a tree you already have.
How long do Bradford pear trees last?
Many start to split once the crown gets large and heavy, often well before they reach old age. How long a particular tree lasts depends on its structure, storms, and how much load it carries.
Can a split Bradford pear be saved?
Rarely. Once a major fork has torn, the remaining structure is usually weak. An arborist can confirm, but removal and replacement is the typical outcome.
What is the best replacement for a Bradford pear?
For similar size and spring flowers, serviceberry, eastern redbud, flowering dogwood, and disease-resistant crabapple are strong choices, depending on sun, soil, and space.
Get a straight answer on your tree
If you are not sure whether your Bradford pear can stay, an assessment from one of our ISA-Certified Arborists will tell you. Request a free estimate and we will come out, usually the same day, anywhere on the North Shore.