Bradford Pear Trees at Church Square Park 8/7/2010:
Original Post 6/13/2010: I attended the tree vigil last night at Church Square Park that stared at 8 PM for the recent euthanization of a Bradford Pear tree in Church Square Park. This saga all started when a few weeks ago a young kid was hit by a falling branch and had to get five stitches. The kid's mom was there last night and she said her kid is doing fine but is still a bit afraid of walking near trees. No one I spoke to at the vigil disagreed that the tree needed to be taken down but the issue brought up by these advocates was the additional pruning done to the other Bradford in the area. While Bradford Pear trees may grow well in a city environment and are loved by Realtors for their curb appeal, they are problematic due to the top-heavy nature in which they grow.
Here are some photo highlights and some horticultural analysis below:
Tree Vigil for lost Bradford Pear tree.
The replacement tree is not a Bradford Pear so it should have a lower maintenance and be much safer according to tree aficionados I spoke with yesterday.
Good as Dead - Courtesy of the "Tree Butchers of Hoboken"?
Or in all fairness, is this proper pruning?
This above tree is unbalanced and tar also needs to be put over the opening to protect the tree from rot according to Hoboken Citizen and park advocate Mary Ondrejka who was a participant at the vigil and has been vocal about Church Square Park at past Hoboken City Council Meetings.
Here is an excerpt from www.tree-facts.com and the proper care of the Bradford Pear tree:
The biggest problem with the Bradford pear tree is that it has many upright branches growing too closely together on the trunk. This makes the plant extremely breakable, especially in bad weather. The tree can be pruned to reduce the risk of breakage but pruning is best done by professionals.
A Bradford pear tree will grow well in almost any type of soil and generally is not bothered by pollutants or pests that affect many other trees, especially in the city. It likes to grow in full sun and is not bothered by either drought or too wet soil. In part because of their branch structure, however, the trees start to have problems with wind and snow damage as they age. This can cause them to break apart when they start to be in the range of twenty years old. Be prepared to replace the tree by the time it is twenty-five years old.
Click on this link to read more about the Bradford pear tree:
http://www.tree-facts.com/bradford_pear_tree/bradford_pear_tree.html
The above tree is balanced and will likely be 2 of the 5 remaining trees left in that area after the pruning that will survive in Mary Ondrejka's opinion (as well as mine as a layperson) The problem with the timing of the summer pruning is that shade has been lost for the summer but that perhaps has to be weighed against public safety.
More background on Mary's advocacy of Church Square Park:
Here is a video showing Mary Ondrejka combating Mike Russo over the installation of Astro turf and other issues at Church Square Park back in 2007 (courtesy of estevens65 with over 11,000 views):
Comic Note: Before I did this article the only thing I knew about horticulture was the famous Dorothy Parker quote, "you can take a hor-ti-culture but you can't make her think". Here is hoping these trees get a Beyonce Knowles attitude and sing to themselves "I'm a Survivor". ◦
