Tree Service in Arcadia, CA
Arcadia protects its oaks and sycamores at small sizes, and big trees in yard setbacks too. Before any tree service in Arcadia begins, we help you see which rules touch your trees, then trim or remove as allowed.
Tree care in Arcadia
Baldwin's ranch, still full of trees
Arcadia guards its oaks more closely than most places: a coast live oak counts once its trunk tops 4 inches. Sycamores count from 6 inches, and other big trees in a yard setback from 12. The town grew from Lucky Baldwin's 8,000 acres of Rancho Santa Anita, bought in 1875. Part of his ranch became the county Arboretum in 1947. The city looks after about 15,000 trees of its own and trims them every four years. The 2011 windstorm was the worst in the Arboretum's history, and it lost 235 trees. The city later planted 433 new trees on its streets and in its parks.
In Arcadia, an oak only 4 inches thick can already need a permit to remove.
Who governs tree work in Arcadia
City of Arcadia
Tree work in Arcadia follows the City of Arcadia's rules. The municipal code protects oak and sycamore trees, and Ordinance No. 2338 extends protection to other mature trees in a front, side, street-side or rear yard setback that are over 12 inches in diameter, or over 10 inches if they have several trunks, unless the species is on the City's list of Unprotected Trees. Rules change. Confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before work begins — filing a permit is the property owner's responsibility, not ours.
Source: Trees | Arcadia, CA
Services
Pruning Arcadia's protected oaks, and removing and grinding the rest
Supreme Tree Experts prunes oaks, removes palms and grinds stumps in Arcadia, where oaks are protected at 4 inches. Owners unsure whether a tree is on Arcadia's list get the answer from Supreme Tree Experts.
Tree Removal
We take out eucalyptus, mulberry, silk oak and fruit trees with no permit, since the city lists them as unprotected. An oak, a sycamore or a big setback tree is a different story, so we sort yours before any cut.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Our pruning of Arcadia's listed oaks and sycamores is led by an ISA Certified Arborist, to ISA and ANSI standards. Arcadia asks for a written recommendation first. A certified arborist must be on site when a limb comes off.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
Once an unprotected tree like a Shamel ash or sweet gum is gone, our grinder takes the stump below grade. The spot is then ready to plant. We rake the chips out or leave them as mulch, your choice.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
We clear dead fronds and seed stalks first, before mountain winds can drop them on a roof. Next, the crew skins old frond bases from the trunk for a smooth, even finish. Our palm lift truck reaches tall trunks over back walls.
Emergency Tree Service
We take tree calls 24/7, day or night. A storm-hit tree on the city's list needs no permit once a city official, officer or firefighter calls it an immediate danger. Otherwise, the normal permit steps apply, so we make the tree safe and leave the rest for approval.
Tree Maintenance
We set a schedule for the trees on your lot and look them over each year. The city trims its roughly 15,000 trees once every four years. A yearly look catches weak limbs, bad old cuts and decay before a limb fails over the house.
Tree Height Reduction
We bring tall crowns down with small cuts to side branches, never topping. Here, a coast live oak counts as protected once its trunk tops 4 inches. On an oak that size, we check the rule before any height cut.
Estate Tree Care
We map which trees on large Arcadia lots are covered by city rules, then plan care for each. Any tree over 12 inches thick in a front, side or rear setback counts. Trees on the unprotected list are the exception.
Tree Shaping & Shrub Shearing
Our crew shears hedges and shaped shrubs on a set cycle so the form holds between visits. We cut just outside last season's line, which keeps the growth dense. Clippings are hauled away on the same trip.
Landscaping
Our planting plans lean on drought-tough trees and shrubs from dry-summer climates. After the 2011 windstorm, the Arboretum lost 235 trees and replanted on that same idea. Tougher plants mean less water in summer and fewer losses in the next big wind.
Hardscape
We place paths, patios and garden walls outside an oak's protection zone, so the roots beneath stay untouched. Arcadia guards that zone, not just the trunk. We mark it on the ground before any digging starts.
Protected or not? An Arcadia crew that sorts it out, then does the work
Tree work goes wrong when it is rushed or under-equipped. We run our own 75-foot boom trucks, lift trucks, chippers and stump grinders, and every crew works under an ISA Certified Arborist — so the job gets done right the first time.
We hold California license #1002853 for both landscaping and tree and palm work, we are bonded, we carry general liability and every employee is on workers’ compensation.
ISA Certified Arborist
An arborist visits free and sorts your trees onto the city's two lists: protected, like oaks and sycamores, or unprotected, like palms and eucalyptus.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
Our CSLB license, #1002853, lists tree service (C-61/D-49) and landscaping (C-27). We carry a bond, and every crew member on your lot is insured.
Southern California Since 1985
We started as a family business in 1985, eight years before Arcadia first became a Tree City USA in 1993.
Our Own Equipment
Our own 75-foot boom trucks reach tall crowns over back walls, and our own chippers turn the limbs to chips on the spot.
Reviews to read before you book in Arcadia
Every word below was written by a customer on Google, not by us. Long reviews are shortened to fit the card — never reworded. None of them was left in Arcadia: they come from customers across Southern California. Read them for how a crew behaves on a job, then decide whether that is who you want in Arcadia.
“Great pricing & service. Highly competent with tricky jobs. We have used them for more than 10 years.”
Melanie Butler
Local Guide
“We got bids from five contractors. After I talked to them all and checked out their licenses and work, we decided to go with Supreme. … The job took a day and a half, and when they were done, they left the place immaculate.”
Hank Shaeffer
“Great tree trimmers! I’ve used Supreme Tree Experts twice to trim the palm trees in my yard. … The guys who come out are quick thorough, and clean. And very careful not to damage property.”
Emilie Pacheco
“These guys have worked on my property 3 times now. They are always on time and do a fantastic job. I highly recommend them!”
Ray Thompson
“After soliciting several quotes on some difficult yard work, we chose Supreme because of their licensed Arborist Temis … The crew was extremely hard working and we couldn’t believe their continuous work ethic on one of the hottest days of the year.”
Gary Brown
Local Guide
The three stages of a job in Arcadia
- 01.
Which list is it on?
An arborist names each tree and measures the trunk 4½ feet up. That shows if the city protects it.
- Oak and sycamore sizes checked
- Setback trees noted
- 02.
Permit or not
Removing a protected tree needs a city permit, which the owner applies for. Unprotected trees can go ahead.
- Owner files with the city
- Written plan for you
- 03.
Work under way
The crew takes the tree down or thins it, chips the brush and grinds any stump you choose.
- Cuts to ISA standard
- Chips hauled or left as mulch
Tree work in Arcadia: the common questions
6 answers for Arcadia, no hedging. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
No permit, but get expert advice first. Arcadia lets owners prune a listed oak or sycamore without a permit. The work must follow ISA or ANSI standards. The city also asks for a written recommendation from a Certified Arborist, and one must be on site when a limb is removed.
Trees on the unprotected list. These include palms, eucalyptus, fruit and nut trees, Shamel ash, silk oak, carob, mulberry, sweet gum, Brazilian pepper and cottonwoods. Other trees outside a required yard setback are also free of the rule, unless they are oaks or sycamores.
It may be. Any tree over 12 inches thick, measured 4½ feet up, is protected when it stands in a required front, side, street-side or rear setback. Trees on the unprotected list are the exception. Planning Services can tell you where the setback line falls.
Some emergencies need no permit. If a storm, fire or other disaster damages such a tree, and a city director, police officer or firefighter finds it an immediate danger, it can be cleared without a permit. Otherwise, the normal permit steps apply.
Yes — $600 for tree services, wherever the job is. Whether the tree is on the city's list, and how big it has grown, shapes most of the price here.
Yes, 24/7. Arcadia's 2011 windstorm showed how fast old trees can fall when strong winds come down off the mountains. Call 877-787-7363.
Find Arcadia
Arcadia runs up to the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, about 13 miles northeast of downtown.
- ZIP codes
- 9100691007