With proper planning, trees can add beauty and value to your home and help ensure reliable electrical service. Use these guidelines to get you started on planting the right tree in the right place.
1. Plan before you plant
Evaluate the following questions and discuss them with your local nursery. Kansas City Power & Light offers a booklet (in .pdf format), "The Right Tree in the Right Place," with more detailed information.
- Why are you planting the tree? For shade? To block an undesirable view? For its fruit? To frame your house? The answer will help you choose an appropriate tree.
- Are there overhead or underground utility lines close to where you want to plant the tree?
- How large will the tree ultimately become?
- What shape will the mature tree have?
- What maintenance will the mature tree require?
- Will the tree be able to survive in the local climate and soil?
- Is the tree strong enough to bear loads of ice and wind without breaking?
- Is the tree susceptible to insects and disease?
- Will the tree add to your property's value now and at maturity?
2. Site selection is important
Trees that are properly placed today can save numerous headaches tomorrow - particularly where power lines are concerned. Proper placement can lower maintenance costs for utility companies, reduce tree mortality and result in healthier community forests.
- Buy trees that will fit the site at maturity. A shrub-like blue spruce in 20 or 30 years may dominate much of your yard, overpower your house and interfere with power lines.
- When planting near utility lines, small trees or shrubs that will reach a mature height of 15 feet or less will not grow into the lines or threaten your electric service. The National Arbor Day Foundation offers specific information about effective planting.
- Always call before you plant a tree to check the location of underground services before starting any digging project. The statewide One-Call Underground number in Kansas is 1-800-DIG-SAFE. For Missouri, call 1-800-DIG-RITE.
3. Choose appropriate trees
In the long run, it's better to buy small ornamental trees that require less maintenance by property owners, less attention from municipalities and utilities, and are easier to protect from disease and insects. These include Crabapple, Flowering Dogwood, Hawthorn and Redbud.
- KCP&L's brochure (in .pdf format), "The Right Tree in the Right Place," illustrates examples of plantings that provide safe spacing from overhead or underground utilities.
- As a general rule, large trees (over 70 feet at maturity) should be planted more
than 45 feet from overhead power lines. Large trees include Basswood, Bur Oak, Pecan, White Pine and Sweetgum.
- Medium trees (30-70 feet at maturity) should be planted more than 35 feet from overhead lines. Some species are Marshall Seedless Ash, Green Ash, Eastern Red Cedar, Kentucky Coffeetree, Littleleaf Linden, Norway Maple, English Oak, Pagoda Tree, Sugar Maple and River Birch.
- Large shrubs that seldom exceed 15 feet at maturity may be planted under utility lines. These include Beautybush, Burning Bush, Forsythia, Honeysuckle, Lilac, Mockorange, Rose of Sharon, Wahoo, Pyracantha and Euonymus Manhattan.
- Some trees can become nuisances and hazards because of characteristics such as weak wood, rapid growth, messy droppings or diseases. Trees not recommended for planting include Silver Maple, Lombardy Poplar, Silver Poplar, Weeping Willow, Cottonwood, Hybrid Poplar, Boxelder, Sycamore, Siberian (Chinese) Elm, Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus), Black Locust, Pin Oak, Walnut, Scotch Pine, Austrian Pine and Bradford Pear.
- Check with your local nursery or garden center for further planting information or go to The National Arbor Day Foundation.
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Additional Questions? Call (816)471-KCPL (5275), toll-free (888)471-5275
e-mail or visit our Brochure Center |
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