Efforts underway to curb Bradford pear tree growth in northeast Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - They have been among the most popular ornamental tree varieties in northeast Kansas for a number of years.

Now, efforts are underway to curb the growth of Bradford pear trees in the Sunflower State and in other parts of the nation.

Ryan Rastok, of the Manhattan-based Kansas Forest Service, said Bradford pear trees originated in areas of Asia such as China and Vietnam.

As a part of the Callery pear tree variety, the plants were brought to the United States in the early-1900s and over time became popular in urban landscaping.

Theornamental trees, which typically grow between 15 and 30 feet tall, are known being full of white flowers each spring. While native trees are just beginning to sprout buds, the Bradford pear variety is in full bloom.

Rastok said the trees were supposed to be “sterile” and not spread in the wild. However, the trees began to cross-pollinate and that led to unintended -- and unwelcome -- growth in areas including in utility right-of-ways and pastureland.

As a result, Callery pear trees, including the Bradford variety, are now considered to be an invasive plant species.

“It’s a very persistent tree,” Rastok said, “and that’s part of why it’s invasive.”

Rastok said Callery pear trees tend to break apart during high winds or ice storms.

Beyond that, the trees actually harm the Kansas ecosystem because they crowd out other plants that are beneficial to wildlife such as birds and bees.

Rastok said the trees may look harmless enough as they produce white blossoms in early spring in people’s yards. But a drive into the countryside can reveal just how far the plants have spread.

“In the landscape, just a tree growing in your front yard, it probably doesn’t seem like that big of a deal if that’s your only exposure to it,” Rastok said. “But then once you drive down the highway and you’re seeing all the white blooms in early spring down the highway, that’s really the areas where we’re seeing it become an issue.”

Additionally, the trees produce a large amount of shade that prevents the growth of plants and grasses native to Kansas.

Rastok said the Bradford pear trees are having an adverse effect on rural Kansas ecosystems

“The areas where it’s invading, it’s pushing out those native plants,” Rastok said, “and there’s a whole cascading of impacts that are occurring because of that.”

The concerns have grown in recent years and have reached the point in some states -- including Ohio, where starting this year it is illegal to plant, grow or sell Callery pear trees.

Other states, including Pennsylvania and South Carolina, are poised for similar bans designed to curb the growth of Callery pear trees starting in 2024.

Rastok said efforts are underway to raise public awareness of the issues caused by Bradford pear trees.

“What people can do,” he said, “is remove those trees and try to plant something that’s native in their landscape.”

In Kansas and Missouri, efforts are underway to encourage people to cut down existing Bradford pear trees on their property. Some locations are giving away native varieties of trees to those who can prove they cut down Bradford pears on their property.

This past Saturday, Evergy, Deep Roots KC and the Kansas Forest Service gave away 100 trees native to Kansas to those who cut down Callery pears on their property. The event took place at the Gage Park Maintenance Compound, 4320 S.W. 10th Ave.

Some 50 people had lined up to get their replacement trees by the time the event started, organizers said.

Other similar tree giveaways are planned for Lenexa and Lee’s Summit, Mo., this spring.

Though not required by law, some Kansas nurseries no longer sell Bradford pear trees. Other nurseries and retail outlets continue to see the tree.

Rastok said he wasn’t looking for any action along that line in the near future from Kansas lawmakers. However, he added, discussions are ongoing between forestry officials and landscaping organizations in Kansas.

Chris Cardwell, a program manager for the Deep Roots KC organization, said people are becoming more aware of the problems caused by Bradford pear trees.

Cardwell says Callery pear trees don’t produce fruit for human consumption. However, birds will eat small, marble-sized fruits that are produced by those trees, and that’s a primary factor in the unintended spread of the plants.

“The birds eat it,” Cardwell said of the fruit produced by Callery pear trees. “The birds come and hang out in your back yard and then all of a sudden you’ve got a bunch of baby Callery pears.”

Cardwell says Callery pear trees, including the Bradford variety, aren’t the only invasive plant species causing issues in the eastern Kansas and Missouri, and areas in the south and southeastern parts of the United States.

However, he said nearly every invasive plant species shares one thing in common.

“They were brought here from another part of the world for the sole intention of being an ornamental plant,” Cardwell said, “and plants don’t follow property lines. They don’t abide by city limits or county lines or state lines.”

As public awareness grows, Cardwell said, he and other tree specialists are hoping people will think twice when it comes to planting Bradford pears.

Cardwell added that Bradford pears aren’t the only variety of invasive trees or plants to be causing problems in the Kansas and Missouri area.

However, because of their widespread popularity -- especially among urban planners -- efforts are underway to inform the public about the dangers the Bradford pears present and to encourage other alternatives when it comes to planting trees.

To that end, Evergy, Deep Roots KC and the Kansas Forest Service distributed 100 trees to area residents at no charge this past Saturday at Gage Park in Topeka.

To receive the free trees, individuals were asked to register online in advance, showing photos that proved they cut down their Bradford pear trees. Those individuals then were given new trees to plant that are native to this part of the state.

It was one of several tree giveaways planned for the Topeka and Kansas City areas, with others scheduled for Lenexa and Lee’s Summit, Mo.