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LOCATION: 4019 26th St./Sanchez St. in Noe Valley

Pyrus calleryana

CALLERY PEAR

Two cultivars of callery pear are common on San Francisco streets. ‘Aristocrat’ is most common and has a rounded form. ‘Chanticleer’ has a more upright form. Each variety has dark green, glossy leaves that, in hotter climates, turn showy reds and scarlets in the fall. But with few exceptions we get only greens and yellows in cool, foggy San Francisco (I’ll admit that I chose one of the exceptions for the photo at right). The tree is bare November–March, although individual trees can differ significantly in this aspect. Flowers appear in March, but in San Francisco this tree is not planted for its flowers, because it does not bloom well in the city’s mild climate. (Hmm … no flowers, disappointing fall color … I will reveal some personal prejudice and say I am not a fan of this tree in San Francisco.) Flowers are often followed by a few inconspicuous clusters of round, pea-sized, green or brown pears hidden amid the foliage. This fast-growing tree (particularly the ‘Aristocrat’ cultivar) reaches heights of 25–35 feet. Callery pear is native to China and Vietnam.