As the Christmas season approaches and you prepare to select a live tree, consider giving it a second life! Many Nashville residents enjoy planting their holiday tree in their yard to enhance their landscape.
If you plan on planting your Christmas tree, NES encourages you to plant the right tree in the right place. This crucial step helps prevent future power outages caused by limbs growing into overhead power lines and reduces the need for expensive tree trimming.
Since its inception in 1989, the NES Tree Planting program has promoted the “Right Tree in the Right Place” philosophy, adding beauty and sustainability to our neighborhoods. Through this program, NES has planted more than 65,000 trees and supported thousands more plantings across the greater Nashville area.
Follow this helpful information to ensure your tree thrives safely away from utility lines.
Safe Planting Distance Guidelines (From Power Lines)
The recommended distance depends on the mature height of the species:
- Large Trees
- Mature Height: Over 50 feet
- Planting Distance (Minimum): 45 feet
- Example Species: Bald Cypress, Dawn Redwood, Red Oaks (Shumard, Southern), Sugar Maple, Southern Magnolia, White Oaks (Bur, Chinkapin), Green Giant Arborvitae.
- Medium Trees
- Mature Height: Up to 50 feet
- Planting Distance (Minimum): 35 feet
- Example Species: American Yellowwood, Black Gum (Black Tupelo), Elms (Lacebark, Princeton), Hollies (American, Foster #2), Magnolias (Saucer, Star, Sweetbay), October Glory Maple.
- Small Trees
- Mature Height: Up to 30 feet
- Planting Distance (Minimum): 15 feet
- Example Species: Crepe Myrtle, Flowering Cherries, Flowering Dogwoods, Holly Redbud, Nellie R. Stevens Holly, Trident Maple, Paperbark Maple.
- ShrubsÂ
- Mature Height: Up to 20 feet
- Planting Distance (Minimum): 10 feet
- Example Species: American Beautyberry, Emerald Green Arborvitae, Flowering Forsythia, Glossy Abelia, Schip Laurel, Viburnums (Doublefile, Leatherleaf).
Trees growing directly under or within fifteen feet of power lines are difficult to trim while maintaining their natural shape. In these specific, high-risk situations, removal of the tree is often the safest and most recommended option. However, the specific site and scenario must be reviewed for inclusion in the NES tree planting program.
Always call 811 before you dig to learn the exact location of underground utility lines, pipes and cables buried in your yard.More Information: For additional details on tree planting guidelines, visit nespower.com or call the NES tree trimming hotline at (615) 695-7400.
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