Remove large flowering pear tree and replace with smaller tree like crepe myrtle?

[Anonymous]

I have large pear tree in my front yard and it's pretty big. It's already had some limbs removed (by prior owner) and I have to remove at least 3 more per my HOA due to long branches that now overhang the TH parking lot and sideyard. Tree company came by to provide a quote and mentioned they could cut down and grind out the stump to allow for replacement.

Any advice or suggestions? I'm a new homeowner with no knowledge or talent with yards and gardens. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

We had the same issue and replaced our large tree with a dwarf red maple. This is a tree designed for small spaces that won't grow to the size of many trees, and the root systems don't expand out so much that they ruin the pavement.

[Anonymous]

Our crape myrtle is huge! Taller than our two story house

[Anonymous]

Ornamental pear trees definitely have problems:

http://guilford.ces.ncsu.edu/2013/10/bradford-pear-a-mixed-blessing-in-the-landscape/

I wouldn't replace it with a crepe myrtle, though. Most crepe myrtles get big, although there are new cultivars that are smaller:

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/horticulture/landscape_ornamentals/crapemyrtle/varieties/

However, for a small tree, I would recommend ornamental crabapple, dogwood, or redbud.