Pyrus calleryana

Callery pear branch failure

photo: K. Jones

As of July 5, 2010, there were 68 reports of Callery pear failures in the database. 34 of those were branch failures. 26 failed at the point of attachment. Decay was noted in 7 of the branch failures. The most commonly associated structural defects were included bark, codominance and multiple branches originating at the same point.

As of December 30, 2013 there are 85 reports of Callery pear failures in the database. 45 branch, 27 trunk, and 13 root. Failure patterns remain the same. Most commonly noted structural defects over all 85 cases are codominance (40), included bark (37), multiple branches originating at the same point (32) and decay (26).

Callery pear branch failure

photo: J. Benassini

Bradford pear trunk failure

Photo: D. Goosen