About the tree removals in downtown Asheville recently: While I understand that it is painful to lose trees, especially when they appear to be fine and healthy, people should not be so hasty to condemn the city for removing them. I love trees too, but Bradford pears are notorious for having exceedingly poor structure with bad forks — and falling apart as they get larger. It's not so much a health issue as it is a structural issue.
If you look along Interstate 240 on the eastern end, you'll see a number of Bradfords, planted there years ago. Invariably they have large holes where entire portions of the crowns fell out. It is an inappropriate and unsafe species to have in high traffic areas after they reach larger sizes.
Now is the time to replace them with a better, more appropriate species, to add beauty and value to our city landscape for years to come.
— Michael Davie
ISA Board-Certified Master Arborist
Arden
Bradford pears should probably be eradicated. They are non-native and most probably invasive.
http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/unitedstates/nc.shtml
http://www.se-eppc.org/northcarolina/NCDOT_Invasive_Exotic_Plants.pdf
And, yes, they are junk trees. When I worked as a landscaper, we treated them sort of like long lived pansies, or something like that. We’d let them grow ’til they broke then cut ’em down and plant another one, or preferably something else.
They are also liars. I’ve never seen them produce even a single pear.