Right Tree, Right Place
Only trees that grow to less than 25′ should be planted near power lines
Why does tree location matter?
Planting the right tree in the right place helps prevent power outages, broken underground utility lines and cracked sidewalks. Only trees that grow to 25 feet tall or less should be planted near or under power lines.
When selecting a tree to plant near your street, consider one of these species, all of which are well suited to yards in our area because of their size and growth patterns.
Trees that are expected to grow to about 14 feet:
- Abies koreana, Korean Fir
- Acer japonicum ‘Aconitifolium,’ Fernleaf Full Moon Maple
- Acer palmatum ‘Katsura,’ Japanese Maple
- Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira,’ Lion’s Head Japanese Maple
- Arbutus unedo, Strawberry Tree
- Cotinus obovatus, Smoke Bush
- Cryptomeria japonica ‘Black Dragon,’ Japanese Cedar
- Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Sunburst,’ Sunburst Witchhazel
- Hamamelis virginiana, Witchhazel
- Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond,’ Panicle Hydrangea standard
- Magnolia stellata, Star Magnolia
- Picea abies ‘Frohburg,’ Frohburg Norway Spruce
- Pinus densiflora ‘Umbraculifera,’ Tanyosho Pine
- Pinus mugo, Mugo Pine
- Sciadopitys verticillata ‘Joe Kozey,’ Japanese Umbrella Pine
- Stewartia pseudocamellia, Japanese Stewartia
- Styrax japonicus, Japanese Snowbell
- Syringa reticulate, Japanese Lilac Tree
- Taxus x media ‘Brownii,’ Brownii Yew
- Tsuga mertensiana, Mountain Hemlock
Trees that are expected to grow to 15 feet and higher:
- Acer circinatum, Vine Maple
- Acer grisium, Paperbark Maple
- Amelanchier x gradiflora ‘Autumn Brilliance,’ Service Berry
- Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy,’ Forest Pansy Redbud
- Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gracilis,’ Dwarf Hinoki Cypress
- Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Milky Way,’ Chinese Dogwood
- Cornus mas, Cornelian Cherry
- Crataegus viridus, Winter King Hawthorn
- Crataegus x lavallei, Lavallei Hawthorn
- Juniperus scopulorum ‘Sky Rocket,’ Skyrocket Juniper
- Magnolia ‘Butterfly,’ Butterfly Magnolia
- Magnolia loebneri ‘Leonard Messel,’ Pink Lobner Magnolia
- Magnolia soulangiana, Saucer Magnolia
- Malus ‘Red Baron,’ Red Baron Crabapple
- Oxydendron arboretum, Sourwood
- Parrotia persica, Persian Ironwood
- Picea omorika, Siberian Spruce
- Pinus leucodermis ‘Mint Truffle,’ Mint Truffle Bosnian Pine
- Pinus flexis ‘Vanderwolf’s Pyramid,’ Limber Pine
- Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’, Canada Red Chokecherry
- Stewartia monadelpha, Orange Bark Stewartia
For more information, call Tacoma Power at (253) 502-8729 or print the “Right Tree, Right Place” “Right Tree, Right Place” brochure. You can also visit our Pearl Street Arboretum, which displays many of the trees listed above, at 2402 Pearl St. N. in Tacoma.
Find more consumer information on tree care through the International Society of Arboriculture and the National Arbor Day Foundation.