A Bradford pear stump keeps sending up shoots unless it is ground out or treated with a labeled herbicide right after the cut, because Callery pear sprouts from the stump and from its shallow roots. Grinding below grade removes the sprouting stump in one visit, and any shoots that rise from roots afterward are mowed or clipped until they quit.
Bradford pear is Callery pear
The Bradford in the front yard is one cultivar of Callery pear, and NC State Extension lists Callery pear as invasive in North Carolina. When Bradfords cross-pollinate with other Callery cultivars, NC State explains, the offspring revert to the invasive species, often thorny, that now fills road edges and old fields. Clemson Extension notes that selling any Callery pear cultivar became illegal in South Carolina on October 1, 2024, though the rule does not touch trees already growing in yards. Most Bradfords come down for a plainer reason. NC State says their tight, upright crotches are likely to split in heavy wind and rain.
Why a cut pear keeps coming back
Cutting a Callery pear does not kill it. Penn State Extension says cut or mowed plants readily resprout, that the tree sends up new shoots from a shallow root system, and that even root fragments left after pulling can sprout. The NC State Extension center in Madison County puts it plainly: if the root system is not dealt with, the tree puts its energy into new sprouts. That is why a pear stump left a foot high in the lawn turns into a cluster of whips, and why a mower on its own rarely wins against a living stump.
How to kill a Bradford pear stump yourself
The herbicide route works on a fresh cut. NC State's Madison County center describes cutting the tree within six inches of the ground and spraying the stump with a 50 percent triclopyr solution straight away, within the first three minutes, before the tree seals the wound, and gives summer to early fall as the season for it. Penn State adds that an oil-based triclopyr ester mix can go on the cut surface and the sides of the stump at any time of year. The product label is the law: wear the gloves and eye protection it lists and keep spray off plants you value. How to kill a tree stump covers the general method.
Grinding instead of spraying
Grinding goes after the part that sprouts. The cutting wheel chews the stump and its root collar to four to eight inches under the soil, working outward through the flare, which is where stump sprouts start. It works on a pear cut last week or five summers ago, where spray needs a fresh cut. It also puts no herbicide near a vegetable garden, a play area or the shrubs you are keeping. What it cannot do is reach every root. Callery pear roots run shallow and wide, so a few shoots may still come up in the lawn during the first season after grinding.
Handling the root sprouts
Root shoots after grinding are the old tree spending what it has left. Mow them with the lawn, and in beds snip them off flush with the ground the moment they appear. Do not let them grow into woody, thorny whips before cutting, because every week in leaf sends a little energy back to the roots. Small ones often pull cleanly from moist soil. If a patch keeps going, your county Cooperative Extension office can advise on a labeled herbicide for the sprouts and the right timing. How to stop stump sprouts goes further.
Bounty programs and a replacement tree
Both states have run Bradford pear bounty events, where a homeowner who cuts down a Callery pear gets a native tree in exchange; Clemson describes its program as offering a free native replacement tree to South Carolina residents. Rules, proof and event dates change from year to year, so check the current details in Bradford pear bounty programs before you cut. Plant the new tree a few feet away from the old stump rather than in the grindings, where it gets firm soil and no tangle of pear roots.
What to send for a quote
If your pears were planted as a row along a drive or an entrance, say how many there are. For the largest one, measure across the cut face at ground level and photograph it with a tape or a shoe beside it. Add a photo of the way in, showing the gate, any slope and the beds the machine would cross. Mention whether sprouts are already up around the stumps. Several stumps in one visit are one job, not several trips, and the quote is given before anything is ground.
Common Questions
Do Bradford pear roots keep sprouting after the tree is cut down?
Often, yes. Penn State Extension notes that Callery pear sends up new shoots from its shallow root system and that root fragments can resprout. Grinding the stump below grade removes the main source, and the scattered root sprouts that follow are mowed or clipped until the roots run out of stored energy.
Does South Carolina make you remove Bradford pear trees?
No. Clemson Extension explains that the South Carolina rules that took effect on October 1, 2024 cover the sale of Callery pear cultivars, Bradford included, and do not affect trees already growing in yards. Taking yours out is your choice, though plenty of owners make it after a storm splits one down the middle.
Can I just keep mowing Bradford pear sprouts?
In open lawn, mowing wears them down over time, because each cut drains the roots a little more. It is slow while the stump is still there, since a living stump keeps feeding new shoots. Grind the stump first and the mower has only scattered root sprouts left to deal with.
What to Do Next
Got a row of pears or a stump that is already sprouting? Send a photo of each stump with a tape across it, one of the access and your town. Call (828) 574-4474.