Transplanting a Mature Bradford Pear: Not Recommended

Owner wants to move a 30-ft, 44-inch-circumference Bradford pear due to new construction. Tree is budding early.

Why Not to Move It

Bradford pears split apart with age (narrow branch angles).
Root ball for a 14-inch diameter trunk would be 126–168 inches wide and 84 inches deep – requires a tree spade.
Transplant shock on this scale is often fatal.

Hire a tree-moving company (links provided for Kansas) or plant a new, better-suited tree. Bradford pear is not a long-term landscape asset.

Trees: Bradford Pear Red Leaves Falling: Fire Blight or Genetic Decline?; Bradford Pear Fire Blight: Multi-Year Battle Plan; Sudden Heavy Fruiting on Bradford Pears: Genetics and Storm Risk; Bradford Pear Trunk Fungus After Heavy Rain: Likely Saprophytic; Bradford Pear Tree Near House: Root Risk and Lifespan; Diagnosing Decline in a Mature Bradford Pear: Boron Sensitivity and Short Lifespan; Bradford Pear Root Depth and Spread Explained; Stopping Bradford Pear Fruit with Hormone Sprays; Why Transplanting a 10-Year-Old Bradford Pear Is a Bad Idea; Transplanting a One-Year-Old Bradford Pear Tree

Garden Articles

Plants