A perfect spring day. Trees with white-puffy flowers. A gentle breeze. But wait. What is THAT SMELL? Reminds of when we forget about a bag of potatoes in the pantry for a couple of months. Is it a pile of rotting fish eyeballs? It’s the Bradford pear trees. Sometimes called Cleveland pear or callery pear. Or, as I call it, “tuna on a trunk.”
These trees are everywhere, especially lining streets and sidewalks. Bradford pears are durable trees. They don’t mind rough growing conditions and have very few pests.
But why do the flowers smell like…that?
Science tells us the odor comes from amines.
Flowers emit scents to attract pollinators. These pear trees bloom early, when there may not be many bees around. The smell I find offensive is like candy to flies, though, and they’re pollinators, too. There is also some thought that the odor helps repel potential damaging insects.
So hold your nose and don’t ever plant one of these trees near windows you might open for fresh spring air. Unless you like the smell, and some people do. Please defend the trees and tell them they’re pretty, if that’s you.
Fortunately, the trees do not flower for long. About two weeks.
~Debbie