Cleveland Select Flowering Pear
Snow-white spring blossoms, orange-red fall color, and no green thumb required—that’s the Cleveland Select Flowering Pear tree. This tree will delight you for a long season, being one of the first trees in your garden to bloom in spring and the last to drop its leaves in fall. This dependable tree performs like a champ, even when dealt the challenges of heavy clay, compacted soils, and drought. You’ll also be happy to know that Cleveland Select Pear maintains its neat oval outline without any pruning. Plant this Flowering Pear tree as a single specimen, or plant a row to march down your property line to dampen traffic noise, screen views, or just add some sparkle to your landscape.
Growth Facts
- Hardiness Zone: 5-8
- Spacing: 10-15'
- Exposure: Full Sun
- Show more ›
The Story
The pear industry was in trouble in the early 1900s. A disease called fireblight was devastating the orchards. Enter Frank Meyer, a Dutch-born immigrant who, working for the USDA, went to China to collect seeds of the Callery Pear to use as genetic material to combat fireblight. He sent back 100 pounds of seed. By the 1950s, people started to realize that Callery Pears were pretty, too, and their popularity among homeowners took off. Cleveland Select came to us by way of Edward Scanlon, Cleveland’s Commissioner of Shade Trees during 1946-1955.
The Details
Forget the Browns, Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame and the shores of Lake Erie. When you think Cleveland, think of our favorite Pear. Spring brings a breathtaking display of white flowers, followed by an awesome flush of shiny green leaves that transform to purple and burgundy in the fall. This pyramidal, ornamental Pear is perfect for street use as well as in your landscape, and it won't give you the problems of broken branches as other Pears do.
How to Grow
Flowering Pears are fast growing and just plain easy to maintain. They do quite well planted in an area that receives full sun. They are another classic spring bloomer; the branches are just covered with white flowers. As for maintenance, you want to start out by hand watering your tree after it is planted, keeping soil moist, not overly wet. For the first 3 or 4 years, give your Flowering Pear a yearly dose of medium rate fertilizer, preferably in the fall. Pruning is fairly minimal for Flowering Pears. Flowering Pears do sprout suckers; they should be cut off when they appear. Overall, Flowering Pears have no major problems in regards to insects or diseases. One problem with some Flowering Pears, especially Bradford Pears, is wind damage. For example, when there is a nasty storm with extreme wind – there is a good chance that the tree will be split in two or at least have some large branches broken. Since this is such a common problem, we do not grow Bradford Pear. The Flowering Pear trees that we grow are improved varieties, so the only windblown damage you’ll have is with your hair.
More Info
Size Guide
Scale
Size A
Size B
Size C
This graphic shows the approximate size and form of the Tree you are viewing.
Size A Trees:
5-6' tall. Grown in our #7 tree container. The hard work has been done for you. You will enjoy watching this tree grow throughout the years.
Size B Trees:
8-10' tall. The all star of flowering pear trees not subject to breakage. Grown in our #15 tree container with stem caliper around 1 1/2". Well formed canopy and great branch structure.
Size C Trees:
10-12’ tall. Full branching structure. Over 2” stem caliper. Shipped in our #25 tree container
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