Posted: 4-23-2008
New UF/IFAS resource goes out on a limb for power lines
Trees and power lines can often be a disastrous combination, so IFAS researchers have developed a list of small trees that have shown to be well-suited for planting below power lines. This list is now available here.
The research was conducted by Ed Gilman, professor of environmental horticulture, and included more than 70 small trees like crape myrtle, bottlebrush, holly and others that were thought to be compatible with urban structures such as overhead power lines, streetlights and sidewalks. The study was co-sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry.
“There really aren’t many small trees, other than crape myrtle, that are readily available from growers,” Gilman said. “Our goal was to learn the growth habits of a range of different small trees so that more of them could be grown in a nursery setting in the future.”
The research was spurred in part by legislation enacted in 2007 that limited the mature height of trees municipalities could recommend for planting beneath power lines.
Trees were evaluated for their growth habits and adaptation, nursery production requirements, and maintenance needs. The trees were planted in Gainesville, though many of the tree species are also suitable for other regions of Florida, as listed in the regional plant lists on the Trees and Power Lines Web site.
Homeowners, property management companies, municipalities and utility companies can benefit by planting the right trees under power lines, minimizing pruning and the chances of tree limbs causing power outages.
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