No More Bartlett Pear Trees?

Is there anything more beautiful than snow in mid-Spring? Of course the snow to which I'm referring is the deluge of falling blossoms from the abundance of Bartlett pear trees in the Shoals area. Let's enjoy it while we can--it may not be part of the area's future landscaping plans.

The City of Florence recently hosted its 14th Urban Forestry and Horticulture Conference. Speaking at the conference was Fred Kapp, education liaison with the Alabama Green Industry Training Center. While Kapp touched on many topics relating to urban landscaping, his warnings concerning Bartlett pear trees were certainly eye-openers.

It seems these beautiful natives of Southeast Asia were introduced to the United States officially in 1963. At that time, little was known concerning the trees, but they became an instant hit with landscapers. As time has passed they have also become an instant hit with personal injury lawyers.

The lifespan of a Bartlett pear tree is 25 years. After that length of time, branches become fragile, and entire trees may split. If that does not present danger enough, the tree's root system is extremely shallow, meaning that as they become top heavy they may dislodge from the ground completely. In short, Kapp suggests that towns immediately remove all these miscreant trees from public property. Considering their potential for damage and outright harm, it might be wise for individual property owners also to remove the Bartlett pear tree from their home landscaping scheme as well.

Sic transit gloria.