My sister sent me these pics of a volunteer tree her friend found in friend's yard. Friend also lives in zone 9 gulf coast; probably has heavy clay soil. Sister's friend isn't interested in plants (except for edible annuals), so I doubt we can get information about what it looks like in other seasons except by waiting for the season to change.

I think the leaves look just like a serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), but the fruit doesn't look quite right?


Or maybe it's some kind of crabapple?

What do y'all think? Thanks in advance!

Were the pics taken this season, and also can we get a pic of the tree itself and the bark. It looks like a pear to me, one of those bradford types or similar, there are several. I have Cleveland and I like mine, they do smell bad when the bloom though.

http://southernforager.blogspo...

you might find this bradford pear jelly recipe helpful. I've never made it myself, so I don't know.

Agree with Frillylilly - that's a pear.

Properly, 'Bradford' Pear and 'Cleveland' Pear (among many others) are named selections of the species Callery Pear - Pyrus calleryana. This species has become a noxious exotic invasive pest plant in the eastern and southeastern United States, due to easy cross-pollination between named selections of this overplanted ornamental tree.

If asked, I'd recommend destroying this plant (and any others found) before those fruits ripen, and throw down some seed of a fine native species of Apple or Serviceberry - or a hundred other edible plants.

Thank you so much everyone! I will let sister know that her friend has an invasive tree. Whomp-whomp.

But friend wanted an ID because she was afraid it was a Chinese Tallow, and at least it's not that!

I have two in my yard, these are clevelands.

Many of them are attractive when young but really fall apart with age.

don't we all

Priceless!