Ornamental Pear Tree Care

Pear tree, either the edible variety or the ornamental type, creates a serene beauty to any form of landscaping. The lustrous green foliage in summer, dark reddish leaves in fall and healthy blooms in early spring are striking characteristics that make an ornamental pear tree lively in all seasons. What else would you expect from a tree, other than these unique features that change the landscape in every season. And when it comes to ornamental pear tree care, it is more or less similar to the edible variety.

Tips for Ornamental Pear Tree Care

Maintaining healthy ornamental pear trees can be achieved without spending much time, which is not so in case of some other high maintenance tree varieties. The detailed information regarding specific growth requirements and maintenance tips differ from one cultivar to another. Nevertheless, you can refer to the following common guidelines for healthy maintenance of an ornamental pear tree:

Select the Variety
You can find several ornamental pear tree varieties in your local nursery, out of which the most popular planted cultivars include Bradford, Chanticleer, Frontier, Bursnozam (or Burgundy snow), Pendula, Manchurian pear, Westwood, etc. With so many options for plantation, selecting a particular variety for your garden is quite a confusing task. Select varieties that are best suited in the soil and climatic conditions in your region.

Plantation Site and Soil
If possible, select an area that receives full sunlight. Otherwise, partial shade locations will work fine for growing an ornamental pear tree. This hardy variety also makes an ideal specimen tree and border tree. Regarding the soil type, rich, well-drained, moist and acidic (pH 4-7) soil is best for ornamental pear tree. Test the pH of the soil and if necessary, adjust it by adding soil supplements. Know more on chanticleer pear tree.

Planting Ornamental Pear Tree
The ornamental pear tree can be grown by using seeds or plantlets. As per your personal preference, you can purchase high quality seeds or small plants from your nearest nursery center. In case, you are confused about the foliage type, opt for young saplings. Dig the soil to about four times the size of the root ball. Plant the tree, cover it with soil and press hard around the stem.

Maintain Ornamental Pear Tree
In comparison to the fruiting type, ornamental pear tree maintenance is simple and easy. You don't have to take extra effort for better fruit quality and high yield. For better ornamental pear tree growth, the favorable growth factors are:

• Watering - Water the ornamental pear tree regularly until it gets established in the soil. Over watering can lead to root rot and other root diseases.
• Mulching - In mid spring, spread a layer of mulch (about 2-3 inch thick) around the tree to keep the soil moist as mulching retains moisture.
• Fertilization - Fertilizing the trees is not a compulsion, but you can add nitrogen rich fertilizers in order to kill the invading weeds.

Pruning Time
About ornamental pear tree pruning, yearly pruning during late fall and/or winter is required. Pruning can also be done after spring, when the tree stops flowering. Based on the tree height, you can use specific pruning tools to trim the diseased and dead branches (if any). With correct pruning, you can maintain the shape of the tree and prevent disease from spreading. Read more on pruning fruit trees.

Ornamental Pear Tree Problems

Educate yourself on the common ornamental pear tree problems, so that you can identify them (if any) and solve them in the early stages. Severe bacterial and fungal infestations can cause death of this flowering tree type. Some of the most devastating ornamental pear tree diseases are fire blight, leaf scorch, leaf spots and root rot.

For more information on ornamental trees, you can also refer to ornamental trees for landscaping.

To be more precise, ornamental pear tree care is all about regular watering, mulching, timely pruning and keeping a watch over invading weeds and disease infestations. As soon as you spot any disease, seek advice from your local horticulturist, before it becomes unmanageable.