Plant breeding

When people think of spring, they often picture flowers and trees blooming. And if you live in the U.S. Northeast, Midwest or South, you have probably seen a medium-sized tree with long branches, covered with small white blooms – the Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana). For decades, Callery pear – which comes in many varieties, including “Bradford” pear, “Aristocrat” and “Cleveland Select” – was among the most popular trees in the U.S. for ornamental plantings. Today, however, it’s widely recognized as an invasive species. Land managers and plant ecologists like me are working to eradicate it to preserve biodiversity in natural habitats. As of 2023, it is illegal to sell, plant or grow Callery pear in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and will become illegal in South Carolina on October 1, 2024. North Carolina and Missouri will give residents free native trees if they cut down Callery pear trees on their property. How did this tre...