Once ornamental, now invasive: That beautiful spring tree in your yard is now illegal in Illinois

Every April, a different kind of blizzard sweeps across Chicago-area neighborhoods. White blossoms line parkways in Naperville, commercial strips in Schaumburg, and front yards in Arlington Heights. It's one of the most recognizable signs of spring and as of last fall, officially an invasive weed in Illinois.

But the beautiful Callery pear turned out to be an environmental Trojan horse. Also sold as Bradford pear, it has quickly become a nuisance. As of October 2025, it has been added to Illinois' Exotic Weed Act, making it illegal to buy, sell, distribute, or plant in the state. Nurseries have been given a grace period to phase out existing stock, with the full sales ban taking effect Jan. 1, 2028.

Don’t worry. If you have a pear in the ground, you aren't required to remove it. But this is a good time to take stock and assess what’s next.

How a ‘perfect’ tree became a problem

“The Bradford pear was the perfect tree on paper,” says Pat Etherington, certified arborist with The Davey Tree Expert Company in Lake Bluff. “It grew fast, looked great in spring, and handled tough urban conditions. For decades, it seemed like a win all around.”

The problem took decades to surface. The Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana) was believed to be sterile, but as different Callery pear varieties were planted across neighborhoods, they began cross-pollinating. The resulting offspring are thorny and spread aggressively via birds carrying seeds into roadsides, prairies, and forest edges.

Now, those same qualities that made them attractive to landscapers are what make them so effective as invaders. They are aggressive, hard to remove, and displacing and harming native plants and animals. The Morton Arboretum in Lisle has documented Callery pear spreading throughout the region and noted that its thorny thickets crowd out native species.

The stakes go well beyond one tree. “People tend to think of a tree in their yard as just their tree,” says Etherington. “But invasive species don't respect property lines. What spreads from your yard into a nearby forest preserve is a community problem.”

Illinois joins a national wave

Illinois is not alone. Ohio became the first state in the country to ban the sale of Callery pear trees in 2018. South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Minnesota, followed with their own bans. And as of January 2026, New Jersey has also banned the sale of these trees. The message from state governments across the country is consistent: the era of planting these trees is over.

What homeowners should do

For Illinois residents, the first step is simply knowing what's in your yard. If you have a flowering pear tree, have a certified arborist assess its age and condition. Callery pears are notoriously prone to splitting, especially in ice storms or high winds. Planning a native replacement now means your landscape is ready when the time comes.

If invasive seedlings have already appeared on your property, look for thorny saplings with glossy, oval leaves along fence lines or naturalized areas, act quickly. Detecting invaders early and responding rapidly is essential to limiting their spread and the costs of managing them.

Learn which invasive species are present in your area and what local resources are available for management.

The good news: the visual appeal of the Bradford pear is achievable with native alternatives that support local wildlife. Etherington recommends several options for the Chicago-area landscape:

• Serviceberry (Amelanchier) offers white spring flowers, attractive fall color, and berries that birds love — perhaps the closest native equivalent to the Bradford pear in terms of size, form, and spring impact

• Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) blooms with rosy-pink flowers directly on the branches before the leaves emerge — a striking early-spring display with heart-shaped leaves and good fall color

• Flowering crabapple (Malus spp) displays reliable, beautiful white and pink blooms usually in time for Mother’s Day and prom. It can be found with persistent fruit so it’s not as messy as old-fashioned apples. Upright varieties are very similar to pears.

• Winterking hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) is a tough, native small tree with white spring flowers, ornamental bright orange berries, and exceptional wildlife value suited to Chicago-area conditions

• Flowering buckeye (Aesculus glabra) features beautiful large late spring white flowers. It can have good fall color if in a sunny area.

“All of these give you the spring flowering moment that people love about the Bradford pear,” says Etherington. “But they feed caterpillars, support pollinators, provide food for birds, something meaningful for the ecosystem, not having an adverse effect.”

The best approaches for dealing with invasive species at the homeowner level are: plant a diverse mix of native plants, and remove any invasive plants already established in your garden. Together, those two choices make a measurable difference.

If you're planning any new plantings this spring, the state's message is clear: leave the Bradford pear at the nursery, even if you still find it there, and choose something that will serve your yard, your neighborhood, and Illinois' natural areas for generations to come.