Pear Tree Rot - Ask Extension
When I moved in to my home, the top of the pear tree was dead so I pruned it off. Since then, it's yielded very large crops each season. They are smal...
Knowledgebase
Pear Tree Rot #943575
Asked August 27, 2026, 3:51 PM EDT
When I moved in to my home, the top of the pear tree was dead so I pruned it off. Since then, it's yielded very large crops each season. They are small pears with a "large" one being a little bigger than a golf ball. Yesterday I came home from work to find a major portion had broken off. Please see photos. I'm unsure if I should proactively cut the entire tree down or leave it alone and see if it survives through the season and this winter. Is there hope for the tree to survive?
Carlton County Minnesota
Expert Response
Trees frequently decay at points where they were poorly pruned - that's what happened here. The tree could not heal cleanly over that site.
The decay likely doesn't go far enough into the tree or warrant removal.
