Tree of the week

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Good morning. I see rays of sunshine in the back yard this morning, which is a welcome, if temporary, sight. I also see some blooming flowers, which is a reminder that even in the rainy days of January, L.A. dazzles. Pieter Severynen does too, with another installment of ‘Tree of the Week.’

The Evergreen Pear - Pyrus kawakamii

‘The 20-odd species of pear trees come in two kinds: (edible) fruiting and ornamental. The evergreen pear is one of the ornamentals. Left to its own devices this mainland China and Taiwan native grows into a sprawling 15-25’ tall and wide big shrub, but our custom and taste is to shape it into a bare-trunked single or multi stem tree. This is accomplished by staking the trunk until it is self-supporting, cutting off any would-be branches sprouting along the trunk and selecting and shortening the long branches in the crown that grow in every direction to upward and outward facing buds, thus establishing a structural framework. Treated this less-than-natural way, the evergreen pear becomes an elegant open-structured small weeping tree with gracefully pendulous branches and drooping branchlets.

‘Part of the Rose family, the tree is evergreen when the climate cooperates; in cold winters it may be partially deciduous. But the glossy, oval, 2-4” long leaves turn purple or red in winter. New growth is shiny light green. During good years spectacular clusters of white flowers completely cover the tree anytime from November to spring. Hard pruning prevents flowering. The tiny, ½” fruit, if it forms at all, is buff to black in color. The rough, deeply furrowed charcoal gray bark looks attractively picturesque, especially after rain.

‘Once established, the tree needs little pruning. It can live from 50 to 150 years. Very tolerant of a range of soils, it loves full sun and gets by on moderate watering. But it suffers from fireblight, especially in wet winters. This bacterial disease turns isolated shoots and branches brown or black, making them look as if they went through a fire. The remedy to this usually non-fatal but contagious pest problem is to remove the affected branches 8-12” below the dieback point. Lesser problems that may also diminish the value of this otherwise beautiful small tree are a leaf spot disease that causes partial defoliation and sometimes aphids or scale.’

Thanks, Pieter.
Email Pieter: plseve@earthlink.net
Photo Credit: www.sheridangardens.com