Recently in Renqiu, Hebei Province, a row of landscape trees pruned into perfect cubes along a roadside drew public attention—and a fair amount of online banter.

Some netizens, including those with a background in horticulture, questioned the decision. “I studied landscaping in college, and I’ve never seen trees trimmed like this. Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea—it disrupts the tree’s natural growth, and maintaining that square shape isn’t easy. Any small irregularity ruins the symmetry. I honestly don’t know who came up with this.”

Others took a more humorous approach, comparing the scene to the video game Minecraft, where all tree canopies are block-shaped. “Looks like someone brought Minecraft into real life,” one user joked.

On April 11, a staff member from the Renqiu City Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau explained that the unusual pruning was intentional. It was done by the bureau’s landscaping department to prevent the trees from growing too tall and reaching the high-voltage power lines above.

The trees in question are golden-leaf elms (Ulmus pumila 'Aurea'), a deciduous tree species that can grow up to 10 meters tall. Pruning them into cubes, though unconventional, is a safety measure to protect infrastructure.