Harrisburg, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture has added the Callery pear, also known as Bradford Pear or its scientific name Pyrus calleryana, to the state’s noxious weed list. Noxious weeds cannot legally be sold or cultivated within the state.
Bradford pears have been used as street trees since the 1950s and have increasingly been recognized as an ecological disaster, spreading uncontrollably and disrupting native ecosystems.
The ban on sale and cultivation will take effect Feb. 9, 2022 with enforcement phased in over two years.
“Callery pear is another non-native plant that was brought to this country for its beauty and rapid growth, without regard for its long-term potential to harm our environment and food supply,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding.
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