I have 2 large B. pear trees in my yard. 1 of them dies very suddenly (withing 1-2 days) - all the leaves turned brown and are falling off now. The 2nd tree seems to be doing same thing. I have now idea what caused this. They have appeared very healthy and growing well. Any ideas what could've been the cause?

 

Drought, too much water, and root injury can affect Bradford pear trees. Fire blight, which usually strikes in the spring, is a disease than can take a toll on pear trees. Tips of fire blight-infected branches appear scorched and burnt. The leaves droop, turn brown, and usually remain hanging on the tree. The bacteria wash down the branch and form cankers, and the bark inside the canker usually shreds and peels. If a canker girdles a branch, that branch dies. Over fertilization can make the pear trees more susceptible to fire blight. There is also cotton root rot which causes leaves to yellow or bronze then wilt. Leaves remain attached and there is usually sudden death, but larger trees die more slowly.


Other common problems include the following. Rust would appear as rust on the leaves. Powdery mildew would appear as powder on leaves. Anthracnose causes black spots.

Aphids can take a toll on leaves, as can mites. Borers would reveal evidence of holes and sawdust. A late cold spell after the sap starts moving can cause vascular system to burst.

Taking a branch and some fallen leaves to your local Cooperative Extension Service Agent might be helpful in diagnosing a disease. Having an arborist take a look at the trees may be helpful. Once you have a diagnosis, then your Extension Agent can make recommendations for what can be done.

 

I live in North Texas and have had the same problem. I have 2 large Bradford Pears in my front yard, as far as I know, they are about 10 years old. This past week, the leaves on both trees turned yellow and started falling off. My arborist said it was probably Fire Blight, but when he came out to inspect the trees, he said that the problem is Cotton Root Rot (also known as Texas Root Rot, among other things). He said the trees are dead and need to be removed. There is another large Bradford across the street which is doing the same thing. Although I have already decided to go back with another kind of tree (Bradford Pears don't do well in the Texas wind and weather), I am concerned that the fungus in the ground may affect the new tree. Any information on this?