Ornamental pear

An unusual, stately, deciduous, thorny Chinese tree (introduced to the West in 1908) which has superb late autumn colour. This particular cultivar, with flamboyant red autumn leaves, comes from North America and is now very popular because of its terrific show of early spring blossom, its relatively tall, thin, spire-like shape and its ability to tolerate pollution, which is why it's often seen in cities. It has been given the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) by the Royal Horticultural Society. The variety 'Bradford' was the traditional alternative, but there are also other forms, like 'Autumn Blaze', which produces striking late-season colour.