Trees -- Pyrus kawakamii, Evergreen Pear Tree

In January, all the Fruitless Pear trees begin to blossom around L.A.  It is quite a sight. The white blossoms are very showy on a tree that's a wonderful work horse for the garden or parkway. Its roots are non-invasive. It keeps its leaves most of the year, and does not drop as many leaves as some trees.
You have probably seen these trees on the streets of Los Angeles, and not always been impressed. When they are left unpruned, and allowed to sucker (that is, when shoots come up from the bottom of the trunk), they can look pretty awful. They are also susceptible to Fireblight, which causes some leaves to turn brown and die. These branches need to trimmed back to a healthy place, and the loppers should be cleaned with alcohol after every cut.
With just a minimum amount of care, they are a very pretty smallish tree which does not outgrow it's space, nor cause many problems. They are valuable as a street tree or shade tree. They do best with regular water while getting established in the first year or two after planting. Then watering once a month is fine.
A good way to water any new tree is to create a basin around the trunk, but not right up against it, and let a hose drip slowly into the basin for 20 to 30 minutes. This encourages deep roots.