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When the spring wind whips up on Summer Street, the pear starts to shed
September 21, 2023
By Peter Holmes
'Tis the season of the white Manchurian Pear Tree.
The Manchurian Pears line Summer Street, and when the wind whips up in spring they shed their little flower petals into carpets of white onto the road and footpaths.
They even end up making their way into shops and shopping centres.
Manchurian Pear petals in Orange City Centre.
One Orange greenfinger, who did not want to be named, told The Orange News Examiner that Manchurian Pear trees are very popular in the NSW Central West.
"It's a variety of ornamental pear trees, which is the whitest of them. It grows to a width of about eight to 10 metres."
The Manchurian Pear (Pyrus ussuriensis for the purists) is a chameleon.
In spring it sheds its white flowers, then green leaves emerge. In autumn they morph into vivid orange-red.
Our garden guru said there are more ornamental pears on Lords Place near Robertson Park, but these are Cleveland Selects (pyrus calleryana).
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"The Cleveland is more of an oval shape, whereas the Manchurian Pears spread out."
The Manchurian Pears on Summer Street are mature. "They've been there forever and a day," said our mulch maven.
Their lifespan can depend on the watering schedule.
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