Snow and ice can be heavy, damaging your trees and shrubs. When possible, shake snow off branches.
(Courtesy of Chicago Botanic Garden)
This winter, carefully shake snow off plants during heavy wet storms to minimize damage. Once the snow or ice has frozen on, it is best to let it melt off. Removing frozen snow or ice from plants can cause considerable damage. If you use ice melt, it is best to avoid piling snow up around the base of plants, as it can damage plants when concentrated in one area.
Information from Tim Johnson, director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.