NEVER mistake BRADFORD PEAR for WILD PLUM again!

[@FeralForaging]

Don’t forget to check the description to get your downloadable guide! What kind of ID comparison would you like to see next?

[@AFMR0420]

No to the studio. Too much talking head vibe. I come here cause you show not tell.

[@campsiteministries]

If any of you foragers also do woodworking,(as I do), then please be aware that if you have/find any Bradford Pear trees with long straight branches or young trees with straight trunks the wood from these can be made into absolutely beautiful walking sticks. After cutting it to length and trimming off the smaller branches it should be allowed to dry for a considerable amount of time, after which the bark can be scrapped,(not carved), off with the back edge of a knife. The only carving that may need to be done is if there are any bumps or knots to smooth out, and also to shape the bottom so a cane or crutch tip can be fitted on snugly and the handle, which I usually wrap with paracord. After the bark is scraped off I sand it down smooth and then coat it with rendered tallow. This is what native American tribes would traditionally use to keep their bows from drying out and splintering, but as a bonus it also helps bring out the natural color of the wood.

[@jennastephens1224]

I love Mexican Plums! There's a large mature mexican plum right by my apartment (and the owner actually encourages me to take fruit, as long as I give her a pint of plum jam in return). I mostly make jams with them and use the jams to make traditional plum pastries

[@FeralForaging]

Delicious!

[@Drewsalems_Lot]

Hahaha, your face in the thumbnail! We call P. calleryana 'ornamental pear' in Australia. That 'funky' smell isn't too hard to describe. It smells like man foam 🤭

[@daniellecherdak9161]

Nice job. You are a treasure trove of information.

[@FeralForaging]

I appreciate that!

[@RandoSando.]

My state is paying people to cut down Bradford pears, so this video came at the right time

[@FeralForaging]

Awesome, love to see efforts like that! What state if you don't mind me asking?

[@tanyawales5445]

Bradford/Callery pears are good pear rootstock. I have two of these pear trees and since they are full grown (40' - 50' tall) and my lot is made up of clay and sandstone chunks with relatively few shrubs and trees I am reluctant to cut down these trees or mutilate them trying to make them into a grafted pear or Asian pear tree. I might just graft a variety of pear and Asian pear scions to the bottom branches of these trees and make the best of a bad situation. Getting rid of my Bradford/Callery pears won't help matters much since these trees that are mature are in many of the yards of my small town. Bradford/Callery Pear branches that are chipped can be dried and used for smoking meat or BBQing. The ornamental varieties of fruit trees (i.e. pear, cherry, apple, etc.) are also suitable for smoking. You are supposed to let Bradford/Callery Pear season/dry before using it, unlike other fruit woods such as peach or apricot.

[@pendlera2959]

The trees are spread by animals the eat the fruit and poop the seeds, so even if it's just a drop in the bucket, it's still good for you to remove your trees. It's even better to convince your neighbors to do the same, and then talk to your municipal government about removing the rest. Several states have declared Bradford pears to be invasive and are working to remove them, so that will help you convince them. Depending on where you are, there are species of native trees (or at least not invasive) that work well on clay and sandstone soil. If you can, I highly recommend you watch some lectures by Doug Tallamy here on youtube where he explains why having native plants in private yards is so important.

[@tanyawales5445]

I know all about the problems the Callery/Bradford pear trees present because they can be invasive. I did my homework on this. Here's the deal, mature trees add property value to my yard. I have a large lot and precious few mature trees because the soil is clay, sandstone chunks and very little in the way of organic material. My tulip tree (Liriodendron) is over 100 years old but in terms of growth only 87 years old. Planting large trees to replace my two Bradford pears is problematic at best. I do not want to have two large decorative trees cut down leaving huge holes in my landscaping. When I plant shrubs and trees they are going to have to be young and immature because that increases the chance they will survive. In my area, you cannot rent tillers or machines with drilling apparatus because the sandstone chucks will destroy the equipment. When I walk on my yard it is nearly as hard as pavement. I do not see the Bradford trees in the woods around here. They are only on lots with buildings on them. I am not going to try and convince my neighbors to chop down any trees either. We had a EF4 195 mph tornado roar through here several years ago which took out 70% of the homes and nearly all of the trees. The few original trees that remain in good shape are the Bradford pear, maples, mallows and my tulip trees. The rest were snapped in half like twigs. The trees that survived intact usually had tap toots and strong, flexible wood. What I am doing is increasing habitat in my yard for insects and small animals. I have seen an endangered bumblebee, the Rusty patched bumblebee, in my yard twice. I will be planting native elderberries from rooted cuttings and a hedge of shrub hazelnuts this year. I am planning to overseed shady parts of my lawn with miniature clover. I also want to put in a raised bed garden.

[@peggycole7162]

My memory on this might be wrong. Didn't nurseries at one time sell Bradford pear as an ornamental for our yards? Nurseries that sold them said they didn't produce pears, like flowering cherries. Knew a guy whose last name was Bradford , which is why the tree stayed with my memory. Every spring, these trees are rampant in Northern Delaware, and while pretty to see, I'd say there are my allergies.

[@JoeandAngie]

The trees are an invasive nuisance. Are currently taking over a once pristine riverbank on TVA property, but since they are the TVA, they suk and don't care. They are prone to breaking in semi-high winds and they smell like spunge.

[@davek9197]

Looked like you were on Monte Sano.

[@jakegardner8667]

I've had dogs that liked to chew on Bradford pears. I don't remember if they're considered safe for dogs.

[@ASaleh-bn8dm]

amazing videos, I think I am getting addicted.

[@WillBeisner]

Don't some wild plums have spikes sometimes? My online research has been confusing at best

[@ForestFire369]

I kept thinking I had dog poop stuck to my shoes for the last few weeks. These trees are disgusting lol

[@Inkling777]

I'm confused by your remark that these wild Bradford pears grow tall and thin. The original ones that were planted all over, including in my neighborhood, have a pleasing, rounded shape. Indeed, one of their weaknesses is that the almost horizontal limbs break off. I suspect the difference is that the invasive wild variety is different, the result of the original Bradford, which was supposed to be sterile, combining with other pears. The result is a tall, thin tree more like the Chinese pear from which the Bradford was derived.

[@gusper314]

*greetings from the sinking giant!* 🇧🇷💥

[@W0ElSME]

where is the patriotism you guys used to be proud of? 😂 It's been more than one year already, just accept it.

[@Mr.Philbert_Coffee_Esq]

I was just wondering what this was, as I am new to my area

[@PerfumeFlora]

Bradford pear also attract files and dung beetles because of their stinky and rotten smell which files are so annoying and fustrating to deal

[@SnarkNSass]

Mulberry 😱 is my terror trees

[@venidamcdaniel1913]

Do you have a book?

[@SeaDanceDream]

🙏🌞

[@bearboosi]

I have at least 5 of these Bradford c*m trees on my property. I used to smell that rank rotten smell the first few years I lived here, but now I smell nothing at all! I AM IMMUNE! I can just take in their beauty and watch all the squirrels enjoy playing on the huge branches just feet away from my bedroom window. These trees may be hated by some but they are adored by me, the squirrels, and birds who feast on it's berries in the winter!

[@pamela5250]

I didn’t notice the smell of them until just a couple of years ago and I’ve had them in my yard for over 20 years 😂. One year I thought my neighbor was frying fish in old grease. (I just happened to notice a the same time he had a cookout). But the smell didn’t go away. I finally figured out it was the trees 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@craigsurette3438]

I never realized that people hate these trees so much. I eat huge amounts of these every year. Yes they are tannic AF on the tree, but that is not how you need to eat them.They need a good hard frost or 2, and to get to the point where they will come off the tree freely when you shake them. They are super soft, and super sweet and taste a great deal like tamarind. Because they are so soft, i highly recommend shaking them onto a tarp, and then cooking them into a sauce, and or a paste which can then go into a dehydrator to make amazing fruit leather.

[@pendlera2959]

Their invasiveness negates all positive attributes. It's not worth jeopardizing the ecosystem to get some tasty fruit.

[@galeparker1067]

​@@pendlera2959strongly disagree!! If something is NUTRITIOUS, and can take care of itself (!), let's consider their existence......

[@nancyskinner5207]

Can’t you get in trouble going around cutting down trees on someone else’s property ?

[@Inkling777]

Yes, get the permission first, perhaps by explaining why they're a pest.

[@worldsfastestube7302]

Just found your Channel Wow Hey we dry our mushrooms and breathe the molecules amazingly healthy you want to check it out