A tree with a straight trunk and evenly spaced branches is stronger and more damage resistant. Avoid buying trees that have several branches originating from the same point on the trunk. Areas like this will suffer from snow damage. Look for trees with wide crotches of the primary branches from the main trunk. If the crotch is narrow, the union of the branch to the trunk will be weaker.
Growth rate is another important factor when choosing a tree.
Trees with medium to slow growth rates are typically stronger. Faster growing trees tend to be more brittle. Honeylocust, green ash and American linden have a moderate growth rate. Bur oak, Norway maple and littleleaf linden are examples of slower growing trees. Proper pruning of a tree also can help to prevent snow damage.