Bradford pear trees are banned in Ohio. Here are 16 trees to plant instead

Spring has sprung, and the flowers are blooming. Though it should be smelling pleasant this time of the year, you might walk past the Bradford pear tree and hold your breath.

As of January 2023, it became illegal to plant, grow and sell the Bradford pear, or Callery pear, in Ohio due to its invasive nature, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

It doesn't matter if you call it a Callery pear or a Bradford pear — in 2025, the trees are an eco-disaster that disrupts native plants and wildlife. 

Here's what to know about Bradford pear trees, and what you should plant instead.

What trees to plant in Ohio instead of Bradford pears

Bradford pear trees are beautiful, but they are also smelly, invasive, and threaten local species. That's why Ohio banned them. Luckily, the Ohio State Extension and ODNR offer many alternative trees that are safer to plant in the Buckeye State.

Some potential alternative tree species to Callery pear that are native to Ohio and the eastern United States include:

1. Serviceberry
2. Eastern redbud
3. White crabapple
4. Carolina silverbell
5. Dogwood
6. Sweet bay magnolia
7. White fringetree
8. Tree lilac
9. Chokecherry
10. American plum
11. Dogwood
12. Eastern hophornbeam
13. American hornbeam
14. Yellowwood
15. Hawthorn
16. Blackgum

Where do Bradford pear trees come from?

This Callery pear plant, or the Bradford pear, is an ornamental species native to Southeast Asia that was introduced to America in the 1900s.

Because of fire blight, a disease affecting pear and apple trees, the Callery pear was introduced in breeding programs to resist the disease. It then quickly became a favorite in landscaping for its adaptability, flowering, fall color and rounded crown.

Why are Bradford pears bad for the environment? Why did Ohio ban them?

Ohio, like most of the Midwest, contains deciduous forests, characterized by trees that lose their leaves at the end of each growing season. Only certain plants and animals are made to thrive in deciduous forests. Bradford pears don't belong, and they disrupt. 

The Callery pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) are growing and spreading at an alarming rate. The species has proven very successful at invading disturbed areas, open fields, unimproved pastures, rights of ways, and forest edges.

How are Bradford pears spreading?

The species was once believed to be unable to reproduce by seed and bred to be sterile — but over time, the genetic diversity increased, leading to opportunities for outcrossing. When all trees within an individual cultivar are genetically the same, they can cross-pollinate, producing successful fruiting. 

After birds consume the fruits, they easily disperse Bradford pear seeds. As these trees spread in empty spaces, they shade out native species, causing a rapid change in plant and wildlife communities. This tree is a significant threat to native land and wildlife, according to the Oklahoma State University extension.

What do Callery pear trees look like?

Callery pear trees are medium-sized trees that reach up to 60 feet tall. Their bark is a muted, grayish brown that splits into scales with age. Each tree is commonly in the shape of an egg. Their glossy green leaves are as long as three inches and have round teeth. 

Small white flowers bloom during the spring. The flowers may seem pretty, but these blossoms have an abhorrent smell. By autumn, the leaves turn to fall colors, and the flowers become tiny greenish-yellow apples flecked with whitish spots and can also appear brown.

And no, don’t eat them if you come across them. Like the native buckeye tree nuts, they’re not edible for humans.