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Transplanting a 15-Foot Bradford Pear Tree

Can a 15-foot blooming pear (Bradford) be dug up and moved?

Technically Possible, Practically Difficult

Deciduous trees can be transplanted in early spring (after frost, before leaf-out) or fall (after color change, before freeze). But a 15-foot tree requires a massive root ball:

Ball width: 9–12 inches per inch of trunk diameter
Ball depth: 6 inches per inch of trunk diameter

A 2-inch trunk needs an 18–24 inch wide, 12-inch deep ball—hundreds of pounds. Roots must be wrapped in burlap, kept moist, and replanted immediately into a hole twice the ball size.

Better Alternative

Plant a new tree. Transplant shock on this scale often kills Bradford pears, which are already prone to structural failure.

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