Bye Bye Stinky Trees! Here’s How the Kentucky Bradford Pear Bounty Works

Although we are a long way from Spring, the stench of a Bradford Pear tree is forever burned into my olfactory memory bank. I bet if you closed your eyes, you could conjure that vaguely fishy smell I'm talking about.

We have plenty of other stanky aromas that float around these parts, from soybeans to farm fertilizers, but these trees are up there with the worst, in my opinion. Bradford Pear Trees are considered a nuisance for more than just their notes of...whatever that is.

I have to admit I do think they are beautiful when they bloom; you just have to plug your nostrils to enjoy them. However, they are non-native to Kentucky and considered an invasive species in the United States. In the 1960s, it was popular to plant them because they grew quickly and were so pretty.

Unfortunately, they are very prone to breaking limbs and splitting. When branches fall off or the trunks come apart, they can damage surrounding property or nearby lines. The fruit that grows on them, the Callery pear, is consumed by birds and other critters, which then spread seeds far and wide.

More Bradford Pear trees then grow and outnumber native trees. The UK Department of Forestry & Natural Resources shared:

Left unchecked, invasives spread rapidly and crowd out native species, forming dense monocultures that reduce the diversity and health of our forests, prairies, and stream corridors. That loss ripples outward: fewer native plants means less food and habitat for the insects, birds, and other wildlife that depend on them, and it can mean real losses for agriculture, tourism, and property values.

If you have Bradford Pears and wish to replace them, you can take advantage of the Bradford Pear Bounty Program. Various Extension offices around the state offer opportunities to participate. You cut down the Bradford Pear Tree, take a photo of it, and go trade it for a native tree to return home with. Click here to find an event near you, but don't wait. They begin next week.