What are those stinky spring trees, and why are they everywhere? (2024)

FAQs

What trees stink in the spring? ›

Callery and Bradford pear trees, the stinky tree of spring.

Bradford pear trees are considered malodorous, according to the Spruce, a home and garden site. The foul odor that drifts from the trees' white or pink flowers is to attract pollinators. The unpleasant smell lingers until the white flowers fall off.

As flowers and trees start to bloom with the temperatures rising, one invasive tree species is known for its unpleasant smell, and local organizations are trying to prevent the spread. The Callery pear tree, also known as the Bradford pear tree, pops up around the area in the early spring.

Negative impacts

Bradford pears have a very dense canopy that blocks the sunlight from other organisms, changing the way that the plant community underneath the dense canopy functions.

In the worlds of horticulture and ecology, the Bradford pear trees that grace our streets, parks and shopping centers and greet spring with white flowers have become public enemy No. 1. They are invasive. They crowd out native plants by outcompeting them for light, water and nutrients.

And yet those flowering trees are not wanted. Three states - Ohio, South Carolina and Pennsylvania - have banned them, and a few other states discourage people from planting.

Bradford pears are banned in Ohio. Learn why, what they look like, what to plant instead. As of January 2023, it became illegal to plant, grow, and sell the Callery pear in the state of Ohio due to its invasive nature.

Often spread by invasive starlings, the large number of fruits the tree produces can establish dense stands in forest understories and outcompete native trees. A cultivated designer tree, Callery pear is ecologically sterile and causes a host of negative environmental and economic impacts.

To attract the flies, the tree produces its signature foul smell, which resembles rotting flesh. Langelo said in return, trees produce a nectar vital for fly diets. “It has a pollen rich protein that they need for energy,” she said. The Callery pear tree is an invasive species in most areas, due to how fast it grows.

In spring, Callery pears are covered with white blossoms. Many people find the scent of blooming Callery pears revolting, likening it to the stench of rotting fish or a dirty dumpster.

What is the name of the tree that smells bad? ›

Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)

If you see this tree in bloom, you may want to keep your distance (or take an out-of-town vacation). The aroma produced by these pretty Callery pear flowers have been compared to the smell of human male sem*n and vomit.

Balsam Fir

If you can't get enough of that real Christmas tree scent, you're in luck! The Balsam fir is among the most fragrant of all species. The Balsam fir has relatively short, dark green needles and excellent form, making it a good choice for displaying ornaments.

But what was once described as the perfect tree became and invasive species as birds spread them into natural forests. Bradfords and their descendents displace native trees that cannot compete according to Kelly Oten, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist at NC State.

More:Bradford pear trees are highly invasive. This is why they aren't banned in Indiana. "Silent Spring" awakened the world to a global crisis and engaged the public to protect and restore the natural environment.

Bradford pears aren't just smelly; they pose a risk to ecosystems around them. As an invasive species, they choke out other plants, pollinate a similar, thornier version of the tree in wild areas and interrupt the feeding habits of insects and birds around them.

The start of spring has an unmistakable, yet unplaceable smell. It's a bit reminiscent of dirt, but there's something else beneath the surface, evocative of rainy days or afternoons spent gardening. The secret? Geosmin, the soil-based compound responsible for those hard-to-describe olfactory sensations.

If you have Bradford pear trees on your property, you are quite familiar with the odor they release. How could such a beautiful tree smell like rotting fish? The odor isn't the only thing that makes this tree undesirable. There is a lot of controversy around these trees.