The article defending the “Callery,” actually the cultivar “Bradford,” pear tree fails to mention that this non-native tree was introduced as the Bradford cultivar in the 1960s and has rapidly become one of America’s worst landscaping trees (Herald, March 27).
The article defends the tree’s smell as important for pollinators, but only a minimal number of our local pollinators use this tree, given that it didn’t evolve here alongside our local insects.
Additionally, this tree has become invasive nationally. Many states east of the Mississippi have banned sales of this tree entirely because of its invasive properties and the likelihood of ecosystem damage.
There’s no excuse for so-called “tree cities” to be planting this ecologically inert tree, and those that were planted should be removed as soon as budgets allow.
It’s negligent, at best, to publish a “news” article that doesn’t mention any actual facts about this tree, and frankly embarrassing for a so-called tree city.
Haleh Stilwell
Durango
