Bradford pear trees look beautiful in the spring, but looks can be deceiving.
Bradford pear trees, native to Asia, were introduced to the US in the early 20th century for their beauty. But these trees are structurally weak and are quick to shed branches during heavy wind and rain.
They often cross-pollinate with other pear trees, producing invasive offspring that threaten the lives of native trees and create food deserts for birds. The invasive trees have white flowers and huge, inch-long thorns.
To stop the trees from further harming our local ecosystems, it’s best to cut them down.
Here are four native trees that are a much better for your backyard:
Dogwoods. The flowering dogwood is NC’s official state flower.
Black cherry. This impressive tree can grow up to 80 feet tall.
Live oak. A lovely, long-lasting evergreen tree.
Pawpaw.