# Bradford pear



## krex1010

My tree guy friend just dropped me a load of Bradford pear, maybe half a cord, anyone have an experience with this species? It seems pretty heavy and dense. I know free wood is free wood and I don't turn down anything but I have no experience burning this wood and I know someone here does! Oh and this wood is gong into next years wood pile.


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## FLINT

Pear is related to apple and I know apple is very good firewood. 

although I know that a living bradford pear tree isn't worth a darn once it gets any snow or ice on it - they will just snap in half all over the place.  

I'd be pleased with that wood.


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## billb3

If it's not pine it's fine.



I burned some a very long time ago.
I had mostly branches and a very short trunk section  , so smaller stuff.
Too long ago but I don't remember anything remarkable / unremarkable about it.


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## firefighterjake

Never burned pear, but the general consensus seems to be that fruit trees usually are excellent for burning . . . and for smelling when splitting . . . i.e. apple, cherry, etc.


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## thewoodlands

krex1010 said:
			
		

> My tree guy friend just dropped me a load of Bradford pear, maybe half a cord, anyone have an experience with this species? It seems pretty heavy and dense. I know free wood is free wood and I don't turn down anything but I have no experience burning this wood and I know someone here does! Oh and this wood is gong into next years wood pile.



Apple Malus domestica 4,100 26.5 / btu's 


http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/howood.htm


zap


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## 3fordasho

Set some aside for smoking.  I've never had any pear but when ever I get fruit wood I save a 18 gallon tote full for smoking meats, or if I just want a good smelling outdoor fire.    Apple, cherry smell great on the grill too!   Even better if you can save pieces without bark.  My last score included almost a full cord of black cherry... mmmm.... smells good cutting, splitting, for months around the stacks,, and finally when I burn it!


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## jghall

We had a large Bradford in our yard split a few years ago... I dropped it, bucked and split it... Let it dry and used it last year... It was great stuff I'd like to have more, very dense and heavy even when dried... And as someone else mentioned, save some for the smoker ;-)...


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## krex1010

Nice! I figured it was good wood and I am glad to hear it works well in a smoker, which makes sense, I love apple and cherry in my smoker, looking forward to some ribs , brisket, and pulled pork!


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## Backwoods Savage

Firewood is the absolutely best way to use any pear tree. The fruit is worthless in my book. Nasty stuff. I got some from a neighbor one time and threw it out for the deer. They wouldn't even eat the stuff.


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## krex1010

Really? We have some pear and apple trees up at our cabin and the deer will walk right past the apples to get the pears.


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## Backwoods Savage

Your deer have weird taste.


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## heatwise

That wood is fine.had some a couple years ago. It split oddly from what I remember.maybe due to the pieces being mainly branch and not completely straight. If I would come across some again I'd gather it up. Pete


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## krex1010

Backwoods Savage said:
			
		

> Your deer have weird taste.



I don't know, they taste fine to me.


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## Wood Duck

I have a bunch of Bradford Pear in my woodpile - they are common in yards here and took a beating last fall when the snow hit while they still had leaves. it was OK to process, considering all the crotches and knots, and seems fairly dense. i haven't burned any yet.


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## gpcollen1

Bradford Callery Pear is not a true fruit tree/Pear.  It as a propagated horticultural variety.  While being a decent harder wood, it is really not a candidate for your smoker.  I believe that this tree was originally from Asia somewhere...


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## WoodPorn

billb3 said:
			
		

> If it's not pine it's fine.
> 
> 
> 
> I burned some a very long time ago.
> I had mostly branches and a very short trunk section  , so smaller stuff.
> Too long ago but I don't remember anything remarkable / unremarkable about it.



PINE CAUSES CANCER!


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## PA. Woodsman

I love it as fuelwood and for cooking as was mentioned earlier; it dries rapidly and burns nicely. I have a cemetary not far from me and I have free access to clean up whenever one or more of them cracks and falls. I usually don't get a whole lot of wood from it-it's mostly branches-but it adds up and I don't have to dispose of the branches, so I do it for goodwill; you never know what they might tell you you can have for wood. Enjoy....


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## rdust

CTwoodburner said:
			
		

> Bradford Callery Pear is not a true fruit tree/Pear.



x2, I lost a nice one this year in a wind storm.  I burned most of it in the outdoor pit.  I can't see it being really hard since it grows at a rapid pace, I'll take a picture of the growth rings when I get a minute.


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## Captain Hornet

We have had several Bradford Pears in our yard that were planted by the former owner.  They were a messy tree that made a mess in the yard.  They finely fell down in a little ice storm we had two years ago.  They are not at all weather tolerant and I was glad to just get rid of them.  They grow fairly fast so I thought the wood might not be any good.  Dried a year it was fine and I'm finishing burning the last of it this year.  It burns like ash and I would say there are more BTU's than popular.  It's good free heat but worthless in the BBQ.  They had a pear every year that was the size of a air rifle BB.  Wife was glad to see them go because every spring they had a white flower that smelled like a messy diaper.  David


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## wood-fan-atic

They are the new curb tree of choice here on L.I. for about 10 years or so. Theyre EVERYWHERE!. Just got a load the other day from neighbor down the block. They took it down live, fresh ,and green. So dense and heavy, I couldnt split it worth a damn unless the rounds were below 14"! Anything longer , the maul BOUNCED! Will be NICE next year. SMELLS like candy.


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## krex1010

So it sounds like it burns well and I can't beat the price or the fact that it gets delivered. I just got another load so I will probably end up with about a cord of it going I to next years pile


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## Sully1515

This is a very old post, but, I thought I'd comment on this.  My property used to have Bradford Pears on them.  Please realize that a Bradford Pear is an ornamental tree and not a traditional fruit pear tree that one may think of.  The firewood burns nice and hot as long as it has been properly seasoned.  Usually, during the first snow-storm of the year, these are the first trees to 'crumble' as the branches are very weak and simply snap off.  In my area (New Hampshire) the leaves do not completely fall of the tree until the mid December time frame.  

A Bradford Pear tree produces tiny berries which are non edible.  This is just my opinion, however, I would not suggest burning this wood for BBQ's, etc.  It's not anything like apple, cherry or a fruit pear tree.  Here's an old article from 2016 on Bradford Pear Trees:  http://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/life/2016/03/21/curse-bradford-pear/82070210/


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## 7acres

Personally I had about 10% Bradford pear in last season's wood. I kinda hated the stuff compared to oak. But I did use some to smoke the Thanksgiving turkey. I liked it for that


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