What Are the Characteristics of a Bradford Pear Tree?

Size and Form

• The Bradford pear tree grows to heights between 30 and 50 feet, with dense branches. This pear tree has a pyramidal form when young, but the upper canopy takes on a much more oval to rounded shape over time. The tree grows rapidly, but it possesses a somewhat short lifespan, according to the Ohio Public Library Information Network, living for only 25 to 30 years.

Foliage

• The foliage on a Bradford pear is dark green before it turns shades of purple-red in autumn then falls off. The leaves are oval and grow to lengths up to 3 inches. The leaves have long stems, which make them rustle in the breeze when the wind blows.

Flowers and Fruit

• Flowers emerge on the Bradford pear tree before the leaves do, typically during April. The flowers have five petals, are as wide as 3/4-inch and are creamy white. However, as attractive as they are, they are not fragrant. They actually smell unpleasant. The flowers generate an inedible fruit, maturing to about 1 inch in diameter, with a greenish-yellow color. In most cases, the fruit is not visible through the foliage.

Problems

• Despite its widespread use as an ornamental tree since the 1950s, the Bradford pear has enough structural problems to limit its use in the landscape. Strong winds, ice and snow can easily damage a Bradford pear because of how its branches angle. This predisposition to branch breakage during adverse weather and its short lifespan make it a risky tree to plant when better cultivars are available.