Bradford pear trees have invaded Kansas City, and locals want them out. Here’s why
That’s not your body odor that has you wrinkling your nose when you walk around Kansas City during the spring.
As flowers and trees start to bloom with the temperatures rising, one invasive tree species is known for its unpleasant smell, and local organizations are trying to prevent the spread.
The Callery pear tree, also known as the Bradford pear tree, pops up around the area in the early spring. The Kansas Department of Agriculture ordered a quarantine against these trees, which will go into effect Jan. 1, 2027. This means people are prohibited from moving these trees within the state, and others are not allowed ot bring these trees in from other states.
The Missouri Invasive Plant Council is also hosting a “buyback” program in locations around the state April 23, where homeowners are invited to cut down one or more Callery pear trees and receive one free, non-invasive tree in exchange.
So what are these trees that Kansas and Missouri are hoping to get rid of within their states? Why are they such a problem? Here’s what we know.
What is a Callery pear tree?
The Callery pear tree has an oval shape and grows symmetrically, Kansas State horticulture specialist Dennis Patton previously wrote for The Star. The tree is covered with white flowers in the spring and has glossy green leaves.
In the fall, the tree is covered with crimson, purple and orange colors, and the tree can tolerate heat and droughts.
The tree can grow in any soil type. The Callery pear tree quickly became the preferred tree to line streets and grace backyards because of its adaptability, said Patton, a longtime Star columnist who recently died following a battle with lung cancer.
The Callery pear tree is native to Asia, growing in China and Taiwan, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Why do Callery pear trees smell?
Callery pear trees give off a smell that the Missouri Department of Conservation describes as a “fetid, dead-animal odor.”
The flowers are meant to attract flies, including blow flies, which serve as pollinators. The smell serves as a way to attract the flies to the tree.
Why is the Callery pear tree invasive?
The Callery pear tree is invasive since it can grow in any soil type. The tree itself grows sterile fruit, but due to cross-pollination, some of its cultivars, like the Bradford pear, grow fertile fruit.
Wildlife will eat the fruit the trees produce, defecating and spreading their seeds in areas like empty lots and pastures, Patton wrote.
These seeds, spread by birds, have now become established in diverse landscapes across Kansas, from Kansas City to southeast Kansas, according to the Kansas Forest Service.
They can also crowd and shade out our native plants, reducing the diversity of plants and animal in the area, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
“The wild forms often develop characteristics of the original Chinese trees, including stout thorns that make them difficult to clear,” the department wrote on its website. “The thorns also discourage deer from browsing on them.”
