Willow-leaved Pear

Calleryana Aristocrat

Pyrus calleryana 'Aristocrat' is one of the finest ornamental callery pears — an unusual and unique flowering tree that earns its place across three seasons. In spring the branches carry a profusion of white blossom, followed by gorgeous glossy green leaves with distinctive wavy edges through summer, and then a spectacular autumn finale as the foliage ignites in tones of hot and deep red. Small decorative inedible fruits follow the flowers, adding summer interest. It forms a handsome pyramidal tree with strong, open, spreading branches (a better structure than the original 'Bradford'), reaching around 10 m tall in maturity, and grows fast even in difficult urban soils, tolerating compaction and air pollution. Plant it as a street tree, avenue, or standalone feature where its symmetrical crown and autumn fire can be admired. Hardy, deciduous and easy to grow in full sun; give young trees formative pruning to establish a strong framework.

Calleryana Bradford

Pyrus calleryana 'Bradford' is the original ornamental callery pear, selected in Maryland and planted by the millions as a street and feature tree in America — and worthy of attention in New Zealand landscapes. It puts on a lovely display of white blossom in spring, followed by glossy green leaves through summer that colour exceptionally well in autumn in a striking range of scarlets and purples. Small brown ornamental fruits follow the flowers for extra seasonal interest. The tree forms a dense, broadly rounded to oval crown around 9 m tall, growing fast in most soils. One caveat from decades of experience: 'Bradford' can develop tightly angled branches, so give young trees formative pruning to build a strong, well-spaced framework and avoid later storm damage. Plant in full sun as a specimen, avenue or street tree; it is hardy, deciduous and trouble-free once established.

Calleryana Kea

Pyrus calleryana 'Kea' is a New Zealand-raised ornamental pear from Queenstown, selected for outstanding cold tolerance — a genuinely very frost-hardy feature tree for southern and inland gardens. It grows as an upright, dense, multi-branched tree with glossy green foliage through summer, then delivers a long, rich autumn display as the leaves shift through burgundy, red and orange tones and hold well on the branches before winter leaf fall. Pretty white blossom in spring is followed by small inedible fruits, keeping the tree interesting across the seasons. Reaching around 7 m, it suits feature planting, avenues and larger home gardens, thriving in full sun in most soils. As a locally selected, PVR-protected variety it is proven under harsh NZ conditions — choose 'Kea' where exotic ornamental pears might hesitate, and enjoy blazing autumn colour backed by real hardiness.

Calleryana Tawa Tower

Pyrus calleryana 'Tawa Tower' is the narrow, upright ornamental pear for gardens with no room to spare — a slender columnar selection that packs a full four-season show into a slim vertical footprint. In early spring a profusion of white flowers clothes the branches, followed by decorative (but inedible) green-to-brown fruits through summer, and finally a stunning autumn display of red, orange and burgundy foliage. At around 6 m tall and only 2-3 m wide it is made for tight spaces: narrow gardens, driveways, courtyards, avenue accents and screening where a broader tree would overwhelm. Hardy and easy to grow in full sun, it thrives in most soils and needs little more than formative pruning. Choose 'Tawa Tower' for vertical punctuation with genuine seasonal drama, topped off by some of the best red autumn colour of any small NZ tree.

Pendula

Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula' — the Weeping Silver Pear — is one of the most graceful small trees money can buy, a true willow-leaved pear with long, narrow silver-grey leaves covered in a silky down that shimmer in the breeze. The overall effect is soft, arching and unmistakably elegant: stunning placed against a dark hedge or fence, luminous combined with white planting, and beautiful as a lone specimen over lawn or gravel. In spring the branches carry scented white blossom, followed by small inedible fruits, before the silver canopy falls for a tidy winter silhouette of pendulous branches. It is naturally small (around 3 m tall by 2 m wide at ten years), drought-tolerant once established, and an RHS Award of Garden Merit holder. Give it full sun and moist but well-drained soil, prune only to shape, and let this sensual, shimmering weeper become the talking point of the garden.