Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Pyrus salicifolia

Family

Rosaceae

Flowering season

April to May

English distribution

It is very thinly scattered throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Willow-leaved Pear

Habitat

It is a neophyte, which was introduced to the UK in the

1780s and grown as an ornamental tree in gardens,

amenity areas and parks.

It is mainly found in the wild as a garden relic.

Description

Willow-leaved Pear is a silver-leaved deciduous tree

growing up to 8m.

The flowers are up to 2cm and have 5 white, overlapping

petals.

There are approximately 20 anthers with white filaments

and dark-red bilobed anthers.

The style is light green with 5 linear stigmas.

Fruits are inedible, small, astringent green pears.

The leaves are silvery-blue-grey, wavy, narrow and up

to 9cm.

The branches hang downwards and give the tree attractive

weeping shape.