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Close up of Bradford pear flowers. This pretty ornamental tree was developed nearby in suburban Maryland as a quick growing flowering tree. Unfortunately it is a prolific breeder, birds sometimes eat its tiny, bitter pears and the seeds survive the bird’s digestive tracts, meaning these fast growing trees sprout up in nearby fileds and outgrow and outshade native species. I still think they are pretty but they are out of favor. Their flowers have five petals and when in bloom have a distinct smell, shared with some other May and June flowering trees. They bloom just a few days ahead of the region’s famous Japanese cherries.
Shot with a Fuji Finepix 3800