Pyrus - Ornemental Pear tree

The Pyrus or Ornamental Pear trees are shrubs that are rarely grown  but nevertheless interesting for their white spring flowering with pink buds and their highly decorative grey-silver foliage. The variety Pyrus calleryana 'Chanticleer' (8 to 10m (26 to 33ft) tall) with its narrow, almost columnar shape, offers beautiful autumn colours until December. With a fairly rapid growth, Flowering Pears are not demanding and easy to grow. They thrive in any soil that is not too rich but well worked, rather dry and not excessively chalky, away for scorching and overly sunny areas. Pruning is limited to removing dead wood and balancing the branches in winter. Prunus trees can be used as stand-alone specimens, free hedges or in the background of flower beds. With their silver foliage, they highlight blue flowers. Associate them with Eucalyptus for an unusual effect or with lilacs, mock oranges, cherry trees and flowering plum trees. Tip: Treat against scab at the start of vegetation, three times, with a synthetic fungicide. Spray Bordeaux mixture in autumn before and after complete leaf fall.