Michiganders Should Avoid Planting This Odorous and Invasive Tree

If you don't recognize the tree by sight, you'll certainly know it for its smell.

While it can be quite a breathtaking-- in a good way-- sight when the trees blossom each spring, unfortunately this tree species is considered invasive in Michigan which is why some neighboring states have chosen to outright ban it.

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How Did It Get Here?

As is often the case these "ornamental" trees were considered cheap and easy to transport from their native Asia when the U.S. Department of Agriculture first introduced them in the 1960s.

Known as Bradford pear or Callery pear trees these trees grow quickly and when first introduced in the U.S. they were thought to be a sterile-hybrid, meaning they would not grow out of control. They thought wrong.

The trees cannot self-pollinate, but can reproduce with another variety of the Pyrus calleryana species. The offspring are called Callery pears. The resulting hybrids are even more problematic than the original Bradford pear tree. - USA Today

Why Are They a Threat?

The dense canopy of the Bradford/Callery pear tree is said to "choke out" nearby plants by keeping light from reaching them. These nuisance trees also bloom earlier than most (March to mid-April) meaning they get first grabs at resources and nutrients; essentially they steal food and water from native Michigan plants.

Plus, they're stinky! Some have compared the smell to rotting fish or urine; I say they smell like stinky feet. Bradford pear trees are also known to have weak branch structure and come crashing down during the slightest breeze. Not a good fit for spring storm season in Michigan.

What started as an innocent ornamental is now an environmental disaster. - NC State Forest Health

Some states like Missouri have introduced Callery pear buyback programs where homeowners can swap out their nuisance tree for a native one. Other states like Ohio, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania have flat out banned them-- should Michigan be next?