What is my tree that smells foul?
Paul Bonner-Williams, by email
Stefan says: Your mystery tree is about 3m tall with masses of white flowers in spring that are very attractive to bees. However, you comment that it smells like rotting meat and although I’m not entirely persuaded by the appearance of the fruit, and you didn’t send a picture of the blossom, I’m fairly sure this characteristic identifies it as Pyrus calleryana, the Callery pear, because I cannot think of any other comparable tree with such an appalling smell. It has also been likened to rotting fish and other things even less savoury!
It’s native to China and Vietnam and has good autumn leaf colour. One variety called ‘Bradford’ is popular in the United States as a street tree, although it sheds seeds freely and in some areas has become an invasive problem. And, of course, it is not what you would want growing outside your front windows!