The Bradford Pear conspiracy !

[fishinwrench]

Just saw in this months Conservationist magazine that the Bradford Pear tree is now considered by MDC to be "invasive" and needs to be destroyed at all costs.

This cracks me up!   

Why would this tickle you, Wrench?

Well, I remember being a Cub Scout (Webelo actually) and being given truckloads of Bradford Pear trees to plant all over town.  All around the town square, in the school yards, courthouse lawn, church parking lots, city parks..... We planted Bradford Pear trees all over the dang place.

Guess who provided and delivered them?

[snagged in outlet 3]

Yep, me too.  Most new subdivisions back then gave you the first tree.  Bradford Pear.  No worse tree exists.  The stink too.

The bottom land around the Missouri River between St Charles County and St Louis County is choked with em.  Most people think the blooms are pretty in the spring.

[Flysmallie]

I have two big ones in my yard that I would like to turn into mulch but the lady of the house says no. But she does complain about them in the spring. 

I've been hearing this invasive thing about them for a few years. But they are still selling like hotcakes at your local lawn and garden store. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

I think the new ones are a hybrid, or are supposed to be....

We should ask an MDC Biologist.

[BilletHead]

        That is a fact Wrench,

  No conspiracy just another human mistake. Same thing happened way back with multiflora rose and sericea (bad spell there) lespedeza . More recently Autumn olive.  The Bradford pear was also pushed by arborists for planting in yards especially under and around power lines. The company I worked for way back when pushed them too. Only grew supposedly so tall. You can add these things to other invasive species like carp to mans stupid mistakes thinking all would be ok.  

  I just hope someday the brains that id things such as this do not make the ultimate mistake we cannot live with,

  BilletHead

[fishinwrench]

12 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

        That is a fact Wrench,

  No conspiracy just another human mistake. Same thing happened way back with multiflora rose and sericea (bad spell there) lespedeza . More recently Autumn olive.  The Bradford pear was also pushed by arborists for planting in yards especially under and around power lines. The company I worked for way back when pushed them too. Only grew supposedly so tall. You can add these things to other invasive species like carp to mans stupid mistakes thinking all would be ok.  

  I just hope someday the brains that id things such as this do not make the ultimate mistake we cannot live with,

  BilletHead

Exactly.   Let's see what the prognosis  on these hybrid stripers is, in another 35 years.  

[Gavin]

Had one fall on my house during a storm about 10yrs ago. Insurance company found hail damage that was not disclosed on our inspection 2 yrs prior, so I got a new roof and $1500 to get the tree removed. Bought a $500 chainsaw and took the tree out myself. Have taken most  of the Bradfords off of my property, and the chainsaw still runs.

 

 

 

[snagged in outlet 3]

The darn things split down the middle like crazy.

[BilletHead]

5 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Exactly.   Let's see what the prognosis  on these hybrid stripers is, in another 35 years.  

        I said something we cannot live with .  Catch them and eat them,

BilletHead

 

[fishinwrench]

8 minutes ago, BilletHead said:

        I said something we cannot live with .  Catch them and eat them,

BilletHead

 

Destruction of a native species is something I may be able to live with, but it is still extremely undesirable.