2 potted trees and a toyota corolla

[Dazed_Lily]

good visual huh ? We had one tree poking out of each of the back windows. I was afraid the leaves would all come off but they didn't ! We had the seats about as far up as possible. I felt like I was driving one of those little 'clown cars'.
Both are 5 gallons and from nearby Oklahoma: a Cleveland Select Pear(ornamental) and an Elberta Semi-Dwarf Peach tree. The CS pear is supposed to hold up to wind better than a Bradford. Wichita nurseries have taken a dislike to Bradfords as they are easily wind and ice damaged. There was a big one in our yard b4 the house was ever for sale. I guess the ice storm, 2 yrs ago, really damaged it and my neighbor talked the woman who owned this house into cutting the whole tree down(interestingly enough the tree was in the yard next to his property). It had been huge ! Well that just struck hubby the wrong way and he's annoyed that the WHOLE tree was cut down and figures the neighbor to be a tree hater like our former neighbor ! Hubby wihes the old tree was there as it would block neighbor's upper deck. So, guess where the new pear is going ?! Very very close to the'old' pear ! Heh, heh ! Of course residual roots will dictate the exact location !
And the peach will go about 2o feet away from it.
Augh ! More stuff to plant !

[Rebecca]

I've been reading some other bad press about the (ornamental) 'Bradford Pear myself, the most interesting is that it is becoming "invasive". i'm not altogether sure "invasive" would be the correct term, but it'll do. Seems when these were first developed and released into commerce theywere not supposed to bear a fruit, yet they do, albeit as very tiny one. Birds eat them as a winter forage and deposit seeds everywhere and a seedlings shows up. I have seen entire sections of ths tree brokenout by not all that strong of a wind and ice damage can birng the whole tree down.

I have to assume that since it is a faairly rapid growing tree, the wood is not very strong, what is termed a "soft wood" and unlike some other soft wood trees isn't of much use as a lumber due to it being brittle.

Sure hope this "new" 'Cleveland Select' proves to be a much better ornamental tree.

I also think taking the whole tree out was a smart move especially since the damage left by the broken branch would be an open invitation to pests and other organisms that could have been even more damaging.


Rebecca