Ohio Bans Callery Pears

Ellen C. Wells

The State of Ohio has banned the sale of Callery pear trees, according to a notice from the University of Cincinnati. The once-popular ornamental trees have revealed themselves to be invasive and destructive to native plants in wild areas all across the country. A similar ban begins in South Carolina in 2024.

Saplings of the ornamental Callery pear have been turning up in the understory layer of forests and in clearings, and once established, their long and strong taproots make it nearly impossible to remove them. And because they produce so many fruits per tree, their progeny is falling very far from the tree, thanks to birds and other fruit-eating critters.

The horticulture trade in Ohio was given five years beginning in 2018 to prepare for the ban. William Kyle Natorp of Natorp’s in Cincinnati was quoted in the release as saying that many property owners have been well aware of the issue and have already replaced their pear trees.

“Customer demand disappeared when it was realized that this plant was an invasive issue,” he said. “Our nursery stopped producing these trees. I think most nurseries did the same.”

How’s your state dealing with the Callery pear situation? Are you taking measures on your own even if your state hasn’t committed to a ban? Drop me a note with your state’s status at ewells@ballpublishing.com. GP