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Bradford Pear

Pyrus calleryana

In the Carolinas and Georgia, commonly planted and persistent, now an aggressive naturalizer in fields, roadsides, and disturbed areas across most of our region. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

-85
Severe harm

Not native to Arkansas. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height
30–50 feet
Spread
20–35 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist
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Do not plant. Listed invasive in Arkansas.

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At a glance

Life cycle
Woody perennial
Leaves
Deciduous
Bloom
February to April
Fruiting season
August to October

Recorded in 23 Arkansas counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

88CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

Genus host records with ranges including AR · Pyrus

  • Abagrotis cupidaCupid Dart
  • Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
  • Acleris minutaLesser Apple Leaf Folder, Yellowheaded Fireworm
  • Acrobasis indigenellaLeaf Crumpler
  • Acrobasis vacciniiCranberry Fruitworm
  • Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
  • Acronicta interruptaInterrupted Dagger
  • Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
  • Acronicta radcliffeiRadcliffe's Dagger
  • Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
Show all 88
  • Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
  • Amyelois transitellaNavel Orangeworm
  • Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
  • Antepione thisoariaVariable Antepione
  • Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
  • Archips argyrospilaFruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
  • Archips griseaGray Archips
  • Archips semiferanusOak Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia marianaGray-Banded Leafroller Moth
  • Argyrotaenia quadrifascianaLesser All-Green Leaf Roller, Four-Lined Leafroller Moth
  • Automeris ioIo Moth
  • Balsa malanaMany-Dotted Balsa, Many-Dotted Appleworm
  • Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
  • Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
  • Catocala crataegiHawthorne Underwing, Thorn Underwing
  • Catocala gryneaWoody Underwing
  • Catocala ultroniaUltronia Underwing
  • Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
  • Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
  • Cerma cerinthaTufted Bird-Dropping Moth, Cherry Agate
  • Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
  • Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
  • Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
  • Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined Tussock Moth
  • Dasychira meridionalisSouthern Tussock Moth
  • Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
  • Dichomeris ligulellaPalmerworm
  • Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
  • Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
  • Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
  • Eulithis diversilineataLesser Grapevine Looper Moth
  • Eumarozia malachitanaSculptured Moth
  • Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
  • Euzophera semifuneralisAmerican Plum Borer
  • Grapholita prunivoraLesser Apple Worm
  • Haploa leconteiLeconte's Haploa
  • Hedya chionosemaTwin-Spotted Budworm, White-Spotted Hedya
  • Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Iridopsis ephyrariaPale-Winged Gray
  • Iridopsis humariaSmall Purplish Gray
  • Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
  • Limenitis archippusViceroy
  • Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
  • Lithophane groteiGrote's Pinion, Green Fruit Worm
  • Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
  • Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
  • Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
  • Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
  • Megalopyge opercularisSouthern Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar
  • Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
  • Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
  • Nymphalis antiopaMourning Cloak
  • Oedemasia concinnaRed-Humped Caterpillar, Red-Humped Appleworm
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
  • Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
  • Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
  • Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
  • Papilio glaucusEastern Tiger Swallowtail
  • Parasa indeterminaStinging Rose Caterpillar Moth, Rose Slug Caterpillar
  • Parornix geminatellaUnspotted Leaf Miner, Unspotted Tentiform Leafminer
  • Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
  • Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
  • Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
  • Phyllonorycter crataegellaApple Leaf Miner, Apple Blotch Leafminer, Apple Leafblotch Miner
  • Plagodis phlogosariaStraight-Lined Plagodis
  • Prionoxystus robiniaeCarpenterworm Moth, Black Locust Borer, Cottonwood Borer
  • Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
  • Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
  • Sphinx drupiferarumWild Cherry Sphinx
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Synanthedon pictipesLesser Peachtree Borer Moth
  • Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
  • Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
  • Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
4BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Pyrus

  • Aphelocoma californicaCalifornia Scrub-Jay
  • Catharus fuscescensVeery
  • Catharus minimus/bicknelliGray-cheeked/Bicknell's Thrush
  • Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Rosaceae
Hardiness
Zones 5a–9b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Cream or white
Fruit begins
August
Fruit ends
October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Callery Pear

Conservation status

Arkansas rankSNA
Global rankGNR
AR statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources