It can be ugly: a tree with a big chunk pruned out to allow for a power line.
“It’s sad to see, and it makes some people angry at the utility,” said Sharon Yiesla, plant knowledge specialist in the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle. “But it’s rarely the utility’s fault.”
The problem is when people plant trees without regard for power lines overhead or nearby. When the tree grows large enough for its branches to contact the wires, utility crews are forced to prune them away for safety and to prevent power outages.
“It’s all preventable,” Yiesla said. Before you plant a tree, look around for power lines and choose a kind of tree that will never grow large enough to contact any wires. Many smaller trees and large shrubs can provide beauty and privacy near overhead utility lines without ever causing a problem.
For example, you might choose a small spring-flowering tree such as a crabapple, hybrid magnolia, serviceberry or redbud. Big shrubs such as bottlebrush buckeye or common smokebush also are good options.
You can browse for more options on the Arboretum’s website at mortonarb.org/search-plants. Choose more filters>planting site>under utility lines.
Any time you’re thinking about tree planting, a crucial first step is to look up and around for any utility lines near the site. Main lines usually run between poles along streets and alleys. Lower wires will bring electricity, as well as internet, cable and landline phone service, from the utility pole to your house.
Plan your plantings so no nearby tree or shrub will ever grow tall enough to snag any of those wires, even in a windy storm. ComEd, the electrical utility for most of the Chicago area, recommends that anything you plant within 20 feet of a pole-to-pole power line have a mature height of less than 25 feet. The wires that run from poles to the house often are lower, so you’ll need a shorter plant to be safe.
The mature size of a tree or shrub will be listed on the plant label, or you can consult authorities such as the Plant Clinic (mortonarb.org/plant-clinic).
Sometimes a power line runs exactly where you want a privacy or sound screen, such as along a rear lot line. It’s tempting to plant a hedge of tall-growing evergreens such as arborvitae without considering the wire. “If the utility eventually has to drastically prune your privacy hedge for safety reasons, you won’t like the view,” Yiesla said.
As an alternative, consider a mixed planting that combines well-chosen small flowering trees and large shrubs, all shorter than the power line. “As long as the planting is relatively dense at eye level, or at the level of your first-floor windows, it will provide the screening you want,” she said. “It will be more interesting to look at than a row of arborvitaes and it will be safe from utility pruning.”
A useful booklet, “The Power of Smart Planting,” has an abundance of clear information and plant suggestions. It was developed by ComEd and the Arboretum. Find it online at mortonarb.org/smart-planting. The Arboretum’s upcoming Arbor Day Plant Sale (mortonarb.org/plant-sale) is one place to shop for appropriately sized small trees and large shrubs.
Don’t forget there also are also utility lines underground, and they are easy to damage when you dig. Call 311 to arrange for underground utility lines to be located and marked before you start any project that involves digging, such as planting a tree.
For tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (630-719-2424, mortonarb.org/plant-clinic, or [email protected] More Top Picks Best Travel Cocktail Kits