PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Arbor Day is Friday, April 24, and PECO offers tips and suggestions to help everyone 'plant the right tree in the right place.' Whether you are a property owner, community group or developer, PECO urges you to plant trees that will stay clear of overhead power lines as much as possible. Tall-growing trees should be planted at least 30 feet away from power lines. PECO encourages the planting of flowering trees that grow to heights less than 20 feet—like dogwoods and crabapples, near the street. Trees that grow to more than 30 feet high should never be planted under power lines. At full height, these trees may cause a power outage or even pose a public danger. They will need to be trimmed regularly to safely coexist with the aerial power lines. Tips on tree selection and planting are available at www.arborday.org. Annually, PECO spends about $25 million on tree and vegetation maintenance across its six county service territory, to prevent tree-related power outages. The company receives more than 10,000 customer requests for tree maintenance – typically with trees considered incompatible around power lines such as silver maples, sycamores and white pines. "We encourage our customers to fully research before planting a tree or bush," said Frank Moffa, PECO manager of Vegetation Management. "By planting the right tree in the right place, customers can not only enjoy the aesthetic and environmental benefits, they can feel better knowing planting the right tree in the right place allows the trees and aerial utility lines to co-exist without conflict."
