Callery pear and Malus spp. (apples and crabapples)

Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) has become an aggressive invasive species in many parts of the United States, outcompeting native trees and forming dense monocultures. And though this non-native species may have pretty flowers in the spring, they sure smell terrible!

Photo: Callery pear infestation in Connecticut by Anne Arundel, Chesapeake Bay Program.

Malus spp, are the apple and crabapple species and cultivars many know and love. There’s an interesting mystery surrounding our beloved fruit tree, the apple (Malus). The Public Gardens as Sentinels against Invasive Plants (PGSIP) initiative is a working group of arboreta across the world that tracks plants that may become invasive. Apples are one of the most commonly noticed escaping plants, but there are very few reports of escaped apples in the Lake States.

Photo: Malus spp. in woods via iNaturalist by Tony Ernst.

How you will help

Early detection is key to controlling new invasive species.

Apple and crabapple trees are common and beloved fruit and community trees. However, if you see an non-native apple (Malus spp) species escaped into natural areas report them to EDDMapS. We want to know if they're spreading.

Callery pear is on the Minnesota Noxious Weed Specially Regulated Species list. You can help researchers, land managers and policymakers generate data on the distribution and density of Callery pear by submitting unreported sightings in iNaturalist.

Using iNaturalist: Callery pear

Watch this 1:24 minute video to learn how to report using iNaturalist.

If the tree is tended, like in a yard or park, please click the "It is captive or cultivated" choice in the iNaturalist report.

Using EDDMapS: Callery pear and Malus spp.

Watch this 2:11 minute video to learn how to report using EDDMapS.

Because we only want escaped Malus species tracked report them to EDDMapS. If you find escaped Callery pear you can also report it in EDDMapS.

Identification

Review the images below to see the differences between Callery pear and Malus spp.

Callery pear flowers

These are likely to be the very first blooms in the spring. In general, Callery pear starts blooming in mid-April, about 2 weeks before apple (Malus) species. The 5 petaled white flowers commonly smell like vomit, rotting fish or wet animal waste. Photo by Dan Tenaglia, Missouriplants.com, Bugwood.org.

Malus spp flowers

Apple and crabapple, Malus spp., trees likely bloom about two weeks later than Callery pear. In 2024 they started blooming in very late April. The five petaled white, pink or almost purple flowers look can similar Callery pear but Malus spp smell wonderful. Photo Malus spp, iNaturalist photo by liren .

Callery pear bark: brown and furrowed

Photo by Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org.

Malus spp bark: grey and flaky

Photo by Becca MacDonald, Sault College, Bugwood.org.

Callery pear fruit

Photo by Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org.

Crabapple fruit

Photo crabapple fruit iNaturalist by mmmiller.

Watch this 3:53 minute video from Penn State Extension for an overview of Callery pear identification.

Native lookalike: prairie crabapple, Malus ioensis

This lovely small tree is native to prairies. It often as unique lobed or deeply serrated leaves and it has small green apples when ripe. This is the only apple tree native in Minnesota. If you find a Malus spp. that is not the native prairie crabapple and it's escaped in a natural area please report it to EDDMapS.

Photo: Prairie crabapple flowers. iNaturalist photo by liren.

Photo: Prairie crabapple leaves. iNaturalist by Ed Mallam.

Photo: Prairie crabapple fruit by T. Davis Sydnor, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org.

Learn more

All questions about this project should be directed to Angela Gupta, UMN Extension Forester, agupta@umn.edu.

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