Tree Falls In Central ParkA Bradford pear tree in Central Park Plaza, Warsaw, fell overnight Monday and Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department laborers had to chainsaw it into smaller pieces and remove it Tuesday. Maintenance Director Shaun Gardner said the tree fell due to crotch rot, a common problem with the Bradford pear trees. The crotch of a tree is the area where the trunk splits into two large branches. If the crotch is splitting, the cavity can soften and decay, which may attract small animals and insects and result in further damage. Considered invasive in some parts of the U.S., Bradford pears are considered a gardening mistake by some experts, according to thespruce.com. The limbs of these fast-growing trees break easily in stormy weather, are prone to suckering and often have many other problems. The trees were introduced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the mid-1960s as ornamental landscape trees. They can grow up to 30 feet tall, but can be dangerous because of its weak branch structure, which means that the trees often break apart within 20 years, according to greenvilleonline.com. Pictured removing the fallen tree are Park laborers Parker Shoemaker, Dusty Wiggs, Chris Holsclaw and Andy Wright.
