Next time you’re out and about, pay close attention to overhead utility lines. And then check out how the surrounding trees are pruned to accommodate them. While sometimes it’s just bad luck on the part of a tree—a “volunteer” might happen to sprout in an inopportune spot—it often means poor planting choices from the get-go.
The results are not only torturous to look at, they’re also torturous for the tree that’s being forced to grow in wildly unnatural ways—not to mention stressful and unhealthy. Just being made aware may prompt you to notice trees shaped like giant C’s or U’s with the poles and lines running through big gaps in their growth, or their trunks being lopped off entirely to accommodate power lines and prevent power outages.
Fortunately, Virginia Tech has a smart solution at the Hahn Horticulture Garden. There, at their Utility Arboretum, they’ve curated a collection of trees and shrubs that are utility-friendly, meaning their growth habit is small enough not to interfere with power lines.
As the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map adjusts to climate change and shifts to warmer zones, VT has identified zone-appropriate plants that are hardy in Virginia, are disease resistant, do well in both urban and rural landscapes, and are wise choices to avoid requiring drastic butchering as the trees grow. Recommendations include American hornbeam, gray birch, white fringe tree, and paperbark maple, among others. The collection is also available on the garden’s website. HahnGarden.VT.edu
This article originally appeared in the August 2025 issue.
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