Bradford pear trees have been a popular choice for decorative landscaping for years, but as people learn of their drawbacks, they're more eager than ever to see them removed.
That was certainly the case for one homeowner, who brought in some heavy metal to kiss their Bradford pear goodbye.
In the r/gardening subreddit, they shared a video of themselves felling a large Bradford pear on their property with no small amount of glee.
(Click here to watch the video if the embed does not appear.)
"Twas a joy to cut down this giant one on our property (planted by previous owners) and the area has been so happy with the added light and without the nasty dropped fruit and leaves," they wrote in their caption. "First time with the electric saw, twas a good choice."
Bradford pears are notorious for their stinky blossoms and tendency to break in high winds, damaging power lines and other structures. They also make a mess with dropped fruit and flowers. Birds and mammals do eat the fruit, but that further spreads the seeds, causing additional problems for biodiversity.
Local governments have started programs across the U.S. to help remove the persistent trees. In some places, such as North Carolina, there are incentives to replace them with native species.
Planting native species in your yard or garden is a better option to prevent the frustrations with invasive species like Bradford pears. Native species require less maintenance and attention than other non-natives, including less pruning and watering. They also need fewer resources to thrive, such as fewer chemical-heavy products like fertilizers and pesticides.
In addition to flowers and trees, there are low-maintenance ground cover options, such as clover and buffalo grass, that aren't expressly native but are generally more helpful for biodiversity than a traditional monoculture lawn.
You can also xeriscape with rocks and drought-resistant plants to reduce irrigation needs and have a healthy, vibrant yard or garden while supporting the local environment.
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Redditors in the comments celebrated with the original poster at the destruction of the frustrating tree.
"I have literally never had this much satisfaction from a Reddit post," one person wrote. "Thank you, kind stranger."
Another quipped, "Trees should always be cherished and cared for....except these pieces of genetic accident wrapped in God's mistakes."
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