91³Ô¹ÏÍø

Watch CBS News
Local News

Funky-smelling Bradford pear tree among 30 invasive species getting banned in New Jersey

By
Nick Caloway
Nick Caloway
Nick Caloway is a multi-skilled journalist who was thrilled to join the CBS News New York news team in August 2019. Since then, Nick has covered crime, politics, the pandemic and more across the Tri-State Area.
Read Full Bio
Nick Caloway

/ CBS New York

New Jersey is banning more than two dozen invasive trees and plants, including the Bradford pear, which residents say emits a strange odor when it blooms every spring. 

The outlaws the sale and spread of 30 species, like the Bradford (or Callery) pear, Japanese barberry and running bamboo, throughout the Garden State. 

Homeowners won't need to remove anything from their yards, however, since the law targets future sales only, not existing landscapes. 

The rules will phase in over the next few years after former Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bill into law .

"A little bit like B.O."

The Bradford pear bursts into bloom each spring, and it stinks every time, residents say. 

"It's like a little bit sweet, but also a little bit funky," said Chris Calabrese, of Jersey City. "A little bit like fresh-cut grass, but also a little bit like B.O."

caloway-6p-pkg-bradford-wcbshj5q-hi-res-still-00-00-3214.jpg
Bradford pear trees in Jersey City. CBS News New York

The smell isn't the only issue with the Bradford pear. As an invasive tree, it also creates an ecological problem, spreading easily into the wild and pushing out native trees. 

"Our forests have taken a bit of a beating recently with pests and pathogens. And being outcompeted by invasive species just inflicts more harm to our forests," said , an environmental science professor at William Paterson University. 

William Paterson is using state grant money to plant 180 native trees on its campus in Wayne. 

"Natives bring in pollinators. Natives support bird life. Natives have evolved here. So it supports a healthy, biodiverse ecosystem," Davi said. 

List of banned species

  • Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
  • Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
  • Mimosa or silk tree (Albizia julibrissin)
  • Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata)
  • Japanese angelica tree (Aralia elata)
  • Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
  • Japanese clematis (Clematis terniflora)
  • Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
  • Weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula)
  • Winged burning bush (Euonymus alatus)
  • English ivy (Hedera helix)
  • Japanese hop (Humulus japonicas)
  • Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneate)
  • European privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
  • Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
  • Morrow's honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)
  • Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
  • Japanese crabapple (Malus toringo)
  • Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis)
  • Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)
  • Oriental photinia (Photinia villosa)
  • Running bamboo (Phyllostachys)
  • Callery or Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana)
  • Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
  • Jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens)
  • Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
  • European water chestnut (Trapa natans)
  • Siebold's arrowwood (Viburnum sieboldii)
  • Japanese wisteria (Wisteria floribunda)
  • Chinese wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

Mark Prussin contributed to this report.

© 2026 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
const link = doc.createElement('link'); link.rel = 'stylesheet'; link.href = '/fly/fly/bundles/cbsnewscontent/css/cmp-banner.min.css?v=296763317a51cab90faa73f1bb146d5c'; doc.head.appendChild(link); doc.body.innerHTML = CONSENT_MESSAGE; } else { el.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', CONSENT_MESSAGE); } }); } function hidePrivacyMessage() { // Remove from the main document document.querySelectorAll(`.${CONSENT_MESSAGE_CLASS}`).forEach(el => el.remove()); // Remove from inside any iframes document.querySelectorAll('iframe').forEach(iframe => { const doc = iframe.contentDocument || iframe.contentWindow.document; doc.querySelectorAll(`.${CONSENT_MESSAGE_CLASS}`).forEach(el => el.remove()); }); } function activateGatedScripts() { // Handle both new format (cmp-gated-script) and old OneTrust/Ketch format (optanon-category-4) const gatedScripts = Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('script.cmp-gated-script, script.optanon-category-4')); // Activate scripts sequentially with a small delay to avoid timing issues let delay = 0; gatedScripts.forEach(function(placeholder, index) { setTimeout(function() { // Skip if already processed if (placeholder.hasAttribute('data-cmp-processed')) { return; } placeholder.setAttribute('data-cmp-processed', 'true'); const newScript = document.createElement('script'); newScript.type = 'text/javascript'; // Try new format first (data-cmp-src), then fall back to old format (data-src) const src = placeholder.getAttribute('data-cmp-src') || placeholder.getAttribute('data-src'); if (src) { newScript.src = src; } else if (placeholder.textContent) { // Inline script - just copy the content newScript.textContent = placeholder.textContent; } // Handle new format attributes (data-cmp-attrs) - for both inline and external scripts const attrs = placeholder.getAttribute('data-cmp-attrs'); if (attrs) { const tempDiv = document.createElement('div'); tempDiv.innerHTML = '
<\/div>'; const tempAttrs = tempDiv.firstChild.attributes; for (let i = 0; i < tempAttrs.length; i++) { // For external scripts, allow defer/async. For inline scripts, skip them (not valid) if (src || (tempAttrs[i].name !== 'async' && tempAttrs[i].name !== 'defer')) { newScript.setAttribute(tempAttrs[i].name, tempAttrs[i].value); } } } // Copy other attributes from old OneTrust format for (let i = 0; i < placeholder.attributes.length; i++) { const attr = placeholder.attributes[i]; // Skip attributes we've already handled or don't want to copy if (!['class', 'data-src', 'data-type', 'data-cmp-src', 'data-cmp-attrs', 'data-cmp-processed', 'type', 'async', 'defer', 'src'].includes(attr.name)) { newScript.setAttribute(attr.name, attr.value); } } placeholder.parentNode.replaceChild(newScript, placeholder); // If external script, manually trigger window.onload handlers after it loads // This handles widgets that use window.onload for initialization if (src) { newScript.addEventListener('load', function() { // If page already loaded and script set a new onload handler, trigger it if (document.readyState === 'complete' && window.onload) { const originalOnload = window.onload; window.onload = null; // Clear temporarily to prevent loops originalOnload(); // Execute the handler } }); } }, delay); delay += 500; // 500ms delay between each script to allow full loading }); } cbsoptanon.onScriptsReady(function(cmp) { cmp.ot.targetingAllowed(function(allowed) { if (!allowed) { showPrivacyMessage(); } else { activateGatedScripts(); } }); cmp.ot.awaitInitialConsent(function(consent_model) { cmp.ot.addOnConsentChangedHandler(function() { cmp.ot.targetingAllowed(function(allowed) { if (allowed) { hidePrivacyMessage(); activateGatedScripts(); } else { showPrivacyMessage(); } }); }); }); });