NC State Extension, NC Urban Forest Council, NC Forest Service and NC Wildlife Federation have joined together to form the NC Bradford Pear Bounty.
The goal is to remove Bradford Pear trees. The program rewards people for removing Bradford Pears from their property by giving them a free native North Carolina tree.
What’s wrong with Bradford Pear trees?
According to the NC Bradford Pear Bounty, the problems with the Bradford Pear are:
- They are invasive. They spread quickly, competing with native species. And because they produce leaves earlier than many other trees, they can shade out native plants.
- They smell bad. Many people describe the blooms as smelling like rotting fish.
- They’re weak. They break easily during storms, creating a mess following wind, snow or ice.
Although the blossoms are attractive, there are many native trees that have similar blossoms, including the dogwood, black cherry and serviceberry.
You might also be interested in this list of botanical gardens around the Triangle.
How does the Bradford Pear bounty work?
Throughout the year, the Bradford Pear Bounty Program offers a free native tree in exchange for removing a Bradford Pear.
The exchange is available only during planned events. Keep reading to see which Bradford Pear Bounty events are planned for the Triangle.
- Pre-registration is required.
- Tree removal is the homeowner’s responsibility. Several tree care service providers are offering discounts for those participating in the program. See the removal discounts page for more details, and find a certified arborist here.
- This is an event-based program. Participants must attend at the location and date/time of the event to pick up their trees.
- Any North Carolina resident local to the event location is eligible.
- Only the homeowner can register and receive replacement trees.
- A before and after photo must be brought to the event (i.e., a picture of the tree standing and a picture of the tree on the ground). If the tree was not flowering when cut, an additional photo with a close up of the leaves or bark is required.
- Replacement trees are free, native, and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Up to five (5) trees can be exchanged at a one-to-one ratio for the removal of five (5) Bradford pears.
Check out our big list of U-pick farms in the Triangle and farmers’ markets throughout the Triangle.
Removing the Bradford Pear
You can remove the tree yourself, or hire an arborist to do so. Here are some throughout North Carolina that are participating in the program and offering a discount.
See the removal discounts page for more details, and find a certified arborist here.
Find pictures of the bark, leaves and flowers here.
Replacement Trees
These are the native trees that are offered. They are subject to availability and may differ between events.
- Boxelder (Acer negundo)
- Red maple (Acer rubrum)
- Silver maple (Acer saccharinum)
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
- Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
- Flowering dogwood (Benthamidia florida)
- River birch (Betula nigra)
- Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)
- American beech (Fagus grandifolia)
- Tulip-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)
- Swamp blackgum (Nyssa biflora)
- Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
- Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor)
Upcoming Bradford Pear Bounty Events
See all upcoming Tree Bounty events.
Here is a Bradford Pear Bounty event planned in the Triangle. Please note that any North Carolina resident is eligible, as long as you own the land where the tree is. Unless otherwise noted, You do not have to live in the city or town where the event is taking place, but you do have to go to the event location.
Wilson
March 22, 2025
Time: 9 to 11 a.m.
Location: TBA
Register
Double-Check Before You Head Out!
We make every effort to make sure that everything on Triangle on the Cheap is 100% accurate.
However, sometimes things change without notice, and it’s also possible that we can make a mistake.
Please verify all deals and events with the venue or organizer before you go.
More Events
Check out our list of free and cheap events in Raleigh and the rest of the Triangle this weekend, or our full event calendar in the Triangle, or just look at few upcoming events here:
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Sharon Brunjes says
There is another very negative thing about the Bradford Pear Tree and that is they will damage the fruit of
any fruit tree growing in the vicinity of a Bradford pear. I had 2 growing my yard and a cherry tree, peach
tree, 2 apple trees and every one set fruit but it was all deformed. Later on I read an article about how bad Bradford pears were for other trees in your yard so we had them cut down and little trees kept popping up and we would cut them down, then 2 or 3 more little trees would pop up. We were finally able to get rid of all of them. This is the most invasive plant I have ever seen! Except maybe Kudzu!