Don't Sell or Buy Callery Pear in Pennsylvania

On a recent visit to a garden center, I was scouting plants when I smelled the familiar, off-putting fragrance of Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) flowers. I was surprised, it's too early in Western Pennsylvania for these invasive trees to be flowering, and I was in a greenhouse. Callery pear has been on the Pennsylvania noxious weed list since 2024. The state went through a phased approach in adding the species to the noxious weed list. Now, in 2025, selling this plant is akin to moving Japanese knotweed or Canada thistle. Retailers should not be selling Callery pear, and customers should be aware that this is an invasive species capable of destroying native habitats. If a retailer is selling Callery pear and is inspected by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, a stop sale and destroy order would likely be put on the inventory.

There are numerous native and non-invasive ornamental trees that can be used as an alternative to Callery pear. Among these, my favorite is serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.). It is native to Pennsylvania and has a beautiful display of spring flowers. It is called serviceberry because, historically when it flowered, the ground was thawed enough to hold funeral services. In the fall, serviceberry provides fruit for birds and stunning leaf color. There are many cultivars to consider. As an added benefit, the flowers don't stink like Callery pear either.

Other recent additions to the Pennsylvania noxious weed list that should not be sold in Pennsylvania include Japanese barberry* (Berberis thunbergii) and burning bush (Euonymus alatus). Many other commonly used landscape plants have invasive potential but are not on the regulated noxious weed list. This means that they can still be sold in Pennsylvania but have been noted by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as a problematic species. Alternatives to these species should be considered.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture currently has the Invasive Replace-ive program for homeowners who want assistance in removing and replacing invasive plant species on their property. This includes Callery pear.

Pennsylvania Noxious Weed List

Invasive Replace-ive Program

More information and links to invasive plant species in Pennsylvania(Pennsylvania DCNR)

*There are several exempt cultivars of Japanese barberry.