Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Bradford Pear
Bradford Pear is a flowering shade tree grown for its white spring blossoms, which cover the bare branches just before the leaves open. Its glossy leaves give summer shade, then turn yellow to deep maroon red in fall before they drop. It is planted as a lawn, courtyard and street tree and grows about 30 to 50 feet tall. It does best in full sun with deep, regular water.
Best for: lawns, courtyards and street rows in yards with regular water, where you want summer shade, white spring blossoms and red fall color.
Clusters of white flowers cover the bare branches in late winter to early spring, just before the leaves open. It is planted as a seasonal accent for that show.
It is grown as a lawn, courtyard and street shade tree in yards that already get regular water. Plant trees about 20 to 25 feet apart so each canopy has room to fill out.
The glossy leaves turn yellow to deep maroon red in fall before they drop. In the Valley the fall color and the spring bloom can be uneven from year to year.
Bradford grows its branches at tight, narrow angles that can split in wind storms. It is only marginally suited to the low desert heat and does better in higher, cooler towns. The flowers can smell unpleasant, and the species is listed as invasive.
- Street or row planting20 to 25 ft apart
- Single shade tree25 ft or more from other trees
For the first two weeks, water a new tree every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in cooler months. Ease to about weekly in summer by the second month, and keep up deep soaks for its first 3 years. Once rooted, soak the drip line 2 to 3 feet deep weekly or more in summer heat, and every 2 to 4 weeks in winter.
Its trunk sunburns easily in Phoenix. Keep hot western sun off the trunk, and raise lower branches only as needed.
Prune in winter while the tree is dormant. Remove crossing branches, and never take more than a quarter of the canopy in a year.
Take off the nursery stake at planting, and stake only if the tree cannot stand on its own or sits in a windy spot. Use two stakes outside the root ball with soft, wide ties, and remove them after about a year.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does a Bradford pear get?
It grows about 30 to 50 feet tall and 20 to 25 feet wide.
How fast does it grow?
It grows at a moderate pace in the Valley. In milder, wetter climates it is known as a fast grower.
How far apart should I plant Bradford pears?
Plant them about 20 to 25 feet apart for a row or street planting. A single shade tree does best with 25 feet or more to the next tree. The Spacing tab has a calculator.
Can Bradford pear branches split?
Yes. Bradford grows its main branches at tight, narrow angles, and they can split or break in wind and storms. Pruning young trees so the main limbs are well spaced helps.
Can Bradford pear handle the low desert heat?
It can grow in the Valley, but it is only marginally suited to the low desert. It needs deep, regular water and does better in higher, cooler towns like Prescott and Flagstaff.
Can the trunk sunburn?
Yes. The trunk sunburns easily in Phoenix, so keep hot western sun off it. Raise the lower branches only as needed so they keep shading the trunk.
Can the flowers smell bad?
Yes. The white flowers have an unpleasant smell that many people notice while the tree is in bloom.
Can you eat the fruit?
No. The small fruit is hard, bitter and not for eating. Many trees in the Valley set little or none.
Can Bradford pear spread on its own?
Yes. The species is listed as invasive in many areas. Birds and other animals eat the small fruit and spread the seed.
How often should I water it?
It needs deep, regular water in the desert, weekly or more in summer heat. Soak the drip line 2 to 3 feet deep rather than watering lightly. The Care and Planting tab has a full schedule.
Why are the leaves turning yellow?
Very alkaline or soggy soil can turn the leaves yellow. Plant it where water drains well, and do not keep the soil wet.
Does Bradford pear get fire blight?
It is fairly resistant to fire blight compared with many pears. Aphids can show up on the leaves.
Bradford Pear for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Bradford Pear is a flowering shade tree grown for clouds of white spring blossoms and red fall color. Below: size, spacing, water, sun, pruning, fruit and what to know before planting one in the Valley.
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Bradford pear in Phoenix
Bradford pear is a flowering shade tree grown for white spring blossoms and fall color. In the Valley it needs deep, regular water and full sun, with western sun kept off the trunk.
How big does a Bradford pear get?
It grows about 30 to 50 feet tall and 20 to 25 feet wide, upright when young and spreading with age.
How far apart do you plant Bradford pears?
Plant them about 20 to 25 feet apart in a row or along a street. Give a single shade tree 25 feet or more to the next tree.
Watering a Bradford pear in Arizona
It needs deep, regular water in the desert, weekly or more in summer. Soak the drip line 2 to 3 feet deep, and water about every 2 to 4 weeks in winter.
Bradford pear flowers and fall color
White flowers cover the bare tree in late winter to early spring, before the leaves. The leaves turn yellow to deep red in fall, though the show can be uneven in the Valley.
Bradford pear as a shade tree
It is planted as a lawn, courtyard and street shade tree. It drops its leaves in winter, so winter sun comes through.
Pruning a Bradford pear
Prune in winter while the tree is bare, and remove crossing branches. Raise the lower branches slowly, since the trunk sunburns easily in Phoenix.
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