My favorite plant of the week: Pyrus calleryana

We don't get much in the way of winter color.  While that's due in part to the selection of plants on the property, the comparatively warm winter-time temperatures here are the main culprit.  This year it stayed warmer longer and even the persimmon trees didn't show much of the yellow and orange tones they've worn in prior years.  However, the colder night-time temperatures we've recently experienced appear to have colored up our ornamental pear tree, Pyrus calleryana, making it my favorite plant this week.

The tree occupies space in a small patch of lawn (or weeds masquerading as lawn) between the garage and the street

Of course, the pace at which the tree is losing leaves has picked up so the color may not last long.

Most of these leaves get tossed into the nearby composting bin

Native to China, this is a very common tree in Southern California.  It's primary attractions are its fall color and its very early spring blooms.   It began blooming in late January this year and was in full bloom when the photo below was taken on February 4th.  The flowers have a characteristic scent, which is seldom mentioned in polite company but you can read about here.




The tree produces fruit but even the hungry critters in the garden seem to ignore these.  However, at least one of our squirrels thinks its the perfect place to hang out and eat fruit stolen from the citrus trees in the vegetable garden.

Last week, my husband commented that he thought the oranges were ripe.  I disagreed but perhaps he was right.

This may be one of the smaller Mandarin oranges rather than one of the navel oranges, as I think the latter are too big for this fellow to carry

Pyrus calleryana is my contribution to Loree's favorite plants meme at danger garden this week.  Earlier this month, I featured another favorite, Agave gentryi 'Jaws,' as part of my foliage follow-up post.  You can see it here and you can view Loree's favorite plants wrap-up for December here.


All material © 2012-2014 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party