Sacramento Spring Showcases White Flowering Callery Pear Trees

White flowering callery pear trees line Sageview in Natomas neighborhood of Regency Park in Sacramento.

Driving down Sageview Drive in the Natomas neighborhood of Regency Park a few days ago, I spotted the entire street in bloom with white flowering callery pear trees. It was so breathtakingly beautiful that I stopped in a no parking zone to shoot photos. These white flowering trees of Sacramento are not indigenous to our area and seem to be considered invasive. I wonder why builders planted them, if that’s the case.

Still, we see callery pear trees (Pyrus Calleryana) everywhere in Sacramento in early spring. Mostly near freeways or industrial lots in Sacramento. The problem is birds eat the fruit and then drop seeds all over town, and new growth crowds out other vegetation. They don’t live very long, can produce suckers and are susceptible, it seems, to splitting.

The callery pear trees are known to emit a strong odor similar to rotting eggs or semen, the latter which always makes ME think of rotting eggs, right, I don’t know about you. Also, they are not on the list of recommended shade trees for Sacramento, published by the Sacramento Tree Foundation; however, I did find callery pear trees on a Parking Lot Tree Shading Design and Maintenance Guidelines put out by the City of Sacramento. Go figure that these two entities would be in direct conflict with each other.

So while they may seem gorgeous and a welcome respite from the bare branches of deciduous trees waiting to bud out, and no matter how eager you might be to see spring arrive and to get rid of the rain and doldrums of winter, I’m not sure that callery pear trees are to be admired. In some cities, they are banned.

This is the problem with having the ability to extract information at your fingertips. Sometimes you might begin to believe that ignorance is bliss, even when you know it is not.

If you are looking for trees to plant in your yard, contact the Sacramento Tree Foundation. This non-profit will help you to choose the right trees for your yard and will deliver the trees to you at no charge. Yup, free trees, no fee to SMUD customers. Although, you may wish to make a donation.

Callery Pear Trees view down Sageview Drive from Elkhorn toward Bridgecross in Natomas.

Photos by your Sacramento Realtor, Elizabeth Weintraub, 916.233.6759.