这些漂亮的梨树令人避之不及

The curse of the Bradford pear:These pretty trees can be a menace to people and the environment

 

In recent decades, these trees have become commonplace in suburban yards across the country, but many gardening experts caution against the beautiful trees, saying they are a menace to people and the environment.

 

The trees were introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture as ornamental landscape trees in the mid-1960s. They became popular with landscapers because they were inexpensive, transported well and grew quickly.

Here are a few things to know about Bradford pear trees:

 

They can grow up to 30 feet tall, which is dangerous because the trees have a weak branch structure. Bradford pear trees often break apart within 20 years. Anything, and anyone, under a Bradford pear is at increased risk as the tree ages and its steep V crotch structure is strained.

 

The Bradford pear, otherwise known as the Callery pear, veils an ecological nightmare with beauty and it's better for everyone if it's dead.

 

The trees choke out other plants, especially in fallow fields which are empty pieces of land that are the forests of the future. The trees can create a "dead zone," with Bradford or Callery pears growing in thick masses with a dense canopy growing early in the year, keeping the light out for the rest of the plants.

 

Even with the pending ban, it could be centuries until the Bradford pears are eradicated.  （excerpt from USA Today）