In our garden is a pear tree that’s at least 30 years old. It is a prolific fruiter but it has rust, and the pears are often damaged or scabby. They drop early, leaving a squishy, wasp-infested nightmare on the ground, or are unappetising when fully ripe. On the other hand, the tree has a gnarly character. I’m not sure whether to keep it.
Stand back and consider how much you love this tree. It’s old and will be supporting wildlife, and its gnarly character sounds appealing, but if you hanker after autumn fruits, replacing it may be a good idea. I wouldn’t replace it immediately with another pear, as rust spores travel quite far and linger. You could replace it with an apple or a plum but it would be a long time before either is gnarly though. If there’s space, you could plant a young tree, knowing you’ll get rid of the older one in a couple of years.
If you can forgive its squishy fruit ways, I suggest sending a clematis or rambling rose up it. Clematis montana var wilsonii has white starry flowers that smell of chocolate in late spring. Rosa ‘Wedding Day’ has lemon-white flowers that tinge pink with age and is rampant enough to cover any tree. It smells divine.
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