OHIO — Ohio this month became the first state to ban the sale of ornamental Callery pear trees, also known as Bradford pear trees.
It is now illegal to sell, grow, or plant the trees in Ohio because of its invasive qualities and likelihood to cause economic or environmental harm, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources said.
The white-flowered trees are spotted in early spring along highways, yards, and fields.
>> Previous Coverage: Invasive trees banned in Ohio starting next year
“Callery pear often dominates young, regenerating forest areas and inhibits the growth and establishment of native plant species,” Chief of the ODNR Division of Forestry Dan Balser said. “Halting the further sale and intentional propagation of Callery pear will help reduce the further introduction of this environmentally harmful tree species.”
In 2018, Ohio gave landscapers, growers, and nurseries five years of notice that the ban was coming.
The ban doesn’t require existing pear trees to be removed, but the ODNR Division of Forestry encourages control and removal to benefit native forest ecosystems.
For more information, you can visit ODNR’s website here.
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