Heard a landscaper in Des Moines call a Bradford pear a 'trash tree' and it got me thinking

I was at a supplier picking up some materials last week and overheard a landscaper ranting about how much he hates planting Bradford pear trees for clients. He called them weak, invasive, and said they smell awful when they bloom. I've always thought they looked nice in the spring, but I never considered the downsides. Has anyone else stopped planting a certain popular plant after learning more about its problems?

4 comments

4 Comments

the_hayden24d ago

But what if a client really wants that specific look?

caseya7425d ago

Stopped using butterfly bush after learning how invasive it is. It brings in pollinators but spreads seeds everywhere and crowds out native plants. I switched to planting things like New Jersey tea or spicebush instead.

kevin_lane24d ago

Oh man, I did the same thing last year. I ripped out two huge butterfly bushes after seeing seedlings pop up all over my yard. I put in a buttonbush instead and the bees love it just as much. It's a native plant so it doesn't take over.

corap612d ago

My neighbor's yard got taken over by those things. @the_hayden, maybe show them a picture of a full-grown buttonbush in bloom, looks just as good.