Bradford Pears

[arborbarber4]

Is topping Bradford pears ok???? I have bradford pears are just way to high appox 40 feet and are ready to spilt and we did all we can do for them but topping.Please advise thank you.

 

[Stumper]

I would say that NO topping Bradford Pears is NOT okay-"Topping" is a bad practice that gives lousy long term results. However, Crown Reduction of Bradford Pears may be aceptable and prudent. This is more than a matter of semantics. Crown reduction entails selective cutting to locations that will help direct, and manage the growth and facilitate compartmentalization of the wounds created. Topping is indiscriminate reduction to a predetermined height without much regard to questions of apical dominance, nodal locations, regeneration of leafy shoots and compartmentalization of wounds.
Are we speaking the same language?

 

[Blinky]

Did you think about a non-invasive cabling system like Cobra?

 

[mdvaden]

[ QUOTE ]
Did you think about a non-invasive cabling system like Cobra?

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe that question would help them by giving them a ball-park estimate for how much it would cost to install (minimum range) and what the regular inspections would cost over a 10 year period.

arborbarber...

When you say you did all you can do for them, what does that mean? What's been done?

 

[KyLimbwalker]

I think this is a very good question. Arguably a "topped" bradford pear will survive intact longer than a non-topped specimen. These trees are very vigorous, not canopy size trees, and will eventually fail at a point of inclusion. Also, the hazard associated with an attachment at the topped point is not great (and probably less than the hazard associated with the natural included bark crotch below that point).

I think topping bradford pears is acceptable, although I would use this to inform the client of:

1. all the bad stuff associated with topping
2. all the bad stuff associated with bradford pears
3. why bradford pears and a few other non-canopy trees are "toppable"
4. and since everything is political, convince yourself that this "topping" is the first structure prune on the road to a pollarded bradford pear, and try to sell this to the client (no, really. I'm working on a few clients to sell pollarding to. I think it could provide a way to allow all the White Blossom Ways in the world to stay White Blossom Ways.)