A bit of fall color

No problem, Mipii ! Will's photos sort of say it all. Bradford Pear trees often start falling apart as soon as, if not before, they're about 20 years old. It was also annoying that the leaves dropped about a month after every other tree. Leaf raking season ended, then started again!

Will, are you in a wildfire prone area?

Yeah, those are my funny eyeballs. I don't think Miscanthus seeds need to be stratified, as far as I've found, seeds should be surface sown, and take 2 to 4 weeks to germinate.

I'm sure there is bad experiences out there with the Bradford Pear that can corroborate with my claims. Actually, I have had a Bradford Pear before, 'Cleveland Select'. But, I think it is also very similar to the regular Bradford as far as the same bad features. I once bought 2 in about 2007 at a mobile home where I used to live. I haven't been up there in about 3 years to see how they've grown.
They aren't near any structures, (if their still there), so when they fall, it should just be on the grass.

A wildfire prone area? No. You never know though. Years ago we had home health care aides here. One time an aide just walked away from an electric skillet, it was on for 45 minutes on 400° before I noticed it. I'm sure that was just an accident, we never told her, but things like that can start a fire. Lucky I was unemployed, (and home), then, too, and saw the skillet on.

Thanks, I'll get them seeds planted real soon, Mipii. Them black and white eyeballs of yours are neat!

Aah, they look so unassuming and pretty...who knew (aside from a few hundred thousand flowering pear owners)?

This message was edited Nov 16, 2013 3:54 PM because I couldn't spell 'knew'

This message was edited Nov 16, 2013 3:57 PM

Thank goodness Bradford Pear is one invasive problem we don't have up here. We've got our share for sure, just not that one. At about what north/south line does P. c. start to be a problem? See, even plants seem polarized...

There've been huge efforts around here at removing Callery pears from some highways margins. They're awful here. Central Maryland. I'm shocked that some agency has the money to put into this right now. Yes they smell awful, and yes I've seen many examples of huge split out chunks.

Unassuming and pretty, yes, I wasn't going to say that about a loathesome old tree!
My guess would roughly be the mason dixon line, ( http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mason+dixon+line&id=6FE4009D7200A7F7B0A37C1EC37BA5A2B762F665&FORM=IQFRBA#view=detail&id=F87BEE72F37134866C4D25F52080F2EF2290B2C9&selectedIndex=46 ) where they are a nuisance, below that. Even though they are rated zones 5 to 9 - http://www.floridata.com/ref/p/pyru_cal.cfm I've seen them on the sides of the road, they're obviously not in anybody's yard. They stand out pretty good in March when there isn't usually any leaves on anything, they're in bloom!

For the record, I don't think there are any good Callery Pears, they all suck! Even 'Chanticleer'!
It might be narrower and less likely to break, but even it has most if not all of the very same attributes, it's still a Callery Pear. I bet Callery Pear owners just love me!

Shortleaf, they might not want to hear what you're saying now, but someday they'll probably wish they had heeded your warning. I wish I had listened to whomever told me - I think it was my brother-in-law - that we should cut down our white pines while they were still relatively small. I estimate that we spent $9000 of our own money to have 7 white pines removed and the stumps ground. In addition, our insurance company paid $7000 for the removal of the one that fell on our house, and another $7000 to repair our roof. So not worth it!
I'm wondering why I still have one white pine left in our yard. It is too far away to drop on our house, although it could crown someone laying in the hammock. It drops 3" diameter limbs every winter, and it keeps getting taller and less attractive. I really hate having trees cut down, but I probably should have it taken down and plant something else.

Back to our Bradford Pear: one of my daughters (maybe 5 at the time) came running downstairs to tell me that a tree fell outside her window. I went outside to find the limb, which fortunately had only damaged a shrub or two and a fence. I shudder to think of what would have happened if she or her sister had been out there under it.

Don't get me wrong you guys, I AM HEEDING! Bradford Pears, what are Bradford Pears? Nope, not on my list, I checked it twice.

...see?

We know we've got you convinced, Mipii : )

Whew!