Tree Service in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
Cottages from the 1920s, lagoon views and big coastal trees give Cardiff-by-the-Sea its look. A tree in the street belongs to the city, and our tree service in Cardiff-by-the-Sea tells you so before we trim or remove.
Tree care in Cardiff-by-the-Sea
A town named for Wales, on the lagoon
In Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a tree in the street right-of-way belongs to the city, and pruning or removing it needs a city permit. Anyone who does that work must be a licensed contractor with a city business license. The city also gives 14 days' notice before it takes out a tree of its own. Cardiff was founded in 1911 by J. Frank Cullen, and his wife Esther named it after her home town in Wales. That is why streets here carry names like Birmingham and Manchester. The San Elijo Lagoon reserve runs along the south side of town.
Out front, the tree may be the city's. Out back, it's yours.
Services
Cardiff-by-the-Sea palms, city trees and lagoon-edge pruning
Supreme Tree Experts trims palms, prunes yard trees and grinds stumps in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, beside the San Elijo Lagoon reserve. When a date palm's crown starts to droop, owners here get a quick look from Supreme Tree Experts.
Tree Removal
We remove yard trees on the narrow streets of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, lowering wood in sections to keep lanes open. Trees in the street right-of-way belong to the city, and removing one needs a city permit. We confirm the property line before any cut.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Our crews prune yard trees and, with the owner's city permit, trees out front. Anyone pruning a city tree here needs a contractor's license and a city business license. We carry CSLB license #1002853 and show both papers before work starts.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
Grinding takes stumps below grade on older lots, where many homes date from the 1920s. Trees planted with those cottages are now old, and some reach the end of their life. After a removal, a clean grind makes room to replant.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
We trim and skin palms, and on Canary Island date palms we check the crown each visit. The South American palm weevil favors that species, and a heavy attack can collapse the crown. Infested fronds and wood come off and get chipped, and early calls matter.
Emergency Tree Service
We respond 24/7 when a storm drops a limb on a roof or across a drive. Winter storms off the ocean hit the tall coastal trees here first, often at night. We make the site safe first, then chip and haul the wood.
Tree Maintenance
We check big yard trees every year or two for decay, weak limbs and root trouble. The city lists heritage trees for their age, size or history, and anyone can nominate one. If your old tree stands out, it may qualify.
Tree Height Reduction
Tall crowns come down with cuts back to side branches, opening views without topping. Many homes here look out toward the ocean or across the lagoon. A lighter, lower crown keeps both the tree and the view.
Estate Tree Care
Larger lagoon-side lots, where trees stand near the edge of the reserve, get our steady care. San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve covers about 915 acres, and that land is not the owner's to cut. On your side, we work so debris never slides into it.
Tree Shaping & Shrub Shearing
Hedges stay sheared back from side paths and the street edge, and shrubs keep their shape. Small lots and narrow streets are common here, so a hedge that spreads soon blocks the way. We cut to a crisp line and sweep the walk.
Landscaping
We plan planting for yards near the lagoon, keeping new plants from spreading into the reserve. The reserve holds salt marsh, coastal sage scrub and chaparral, each a native plant community. Yard beds that border it lean toward low-water plants that stay put.
Hardscape
We lay patios and walks around root zones and slope them so water drains away from the house. The town sits at only about 79 feet, with the lagoon right below. Good drainage protects both the paving and nearby tree roots.
Why Cardiff-by-the-Sea owners bring us in for city and yard trees
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 first and tells you if the tree is a city tree, a yard tree, or one that could qualify as a heritage tree.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
The city asks for a licensed contractor on its trees. Ours is CSLB #1002853, for tree service (C-61/D-49) and landscaping (C-27), bonded and insured.
Southern California Since 1985
Cardiff turned 74 the year we opened our doors in 1985. Our family has cared for coastal trees ever since.
Our Own Equipment
Our own boom trucks reach over tight Cardiff lots from the street, so we don't have to cross your garden.
Reviews to read before you book in Cardiff-by-the-Sea
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 Cardiff-by-the-Sea: 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 Cardiff-by-the-Sea.
“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 Cardiff-by-the-Sea
- 01.
City tree or yours?
An arborist checks where the tree stands. If it is in the right-of-way, the city's permit comes first.
- Right-of-way checked
- Heritage status asked
- 02.
Permit and paperwork
You apply to the city for a city tree. We show our state license and city business license, and book the day.
- Owner applies
- Licenses on file
- 03.
Cut near the coast
The crew works around narrow streets and beach traffic, then chips and hauls the wood away.
- Traffic kept moving
- Wood hauled out
Tree work in Cardiff-by-the-Sea: the common questions
6 answers for Cardiff-by-the-Sea, no hedging. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
Only with a city permit if it is a city tree. Trees in the street right-of-way are city trees. Owners can apply for a permit to prune one, remove one, or plant a new street tree. If someone else does the work, they need a contractor's license and a city business license.
A tree the city lists for its age, size or history. A tree can qualify if it is one of the oldest or largest of its kind, has historic value, or defines its neighborhood. Anyone can nominate one with a form to the Planning Division. If a big old tree on your street stands out, it may be worth asking.
Only on your own land. San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve covers about 915 acres and holds salt marsh, coastal sage scrub and chaparral. Reserve land is not the owner's to cut. On your side of the line, we prune and clear with care so debris does not slide into the reserve.
It may be the South American palm weevil. The pest favors Canary Island date palms, and a heavy attack can collapse the crown. Infested fronds and wood should be removed and chipped, burned or buried. Call early, because a palm that loses its crown can't be saved.
Yes — $600 for tree services, wherever the job is. Here narrow streets, beach traffic and whether the tree needs a city permit shape most prices.
Yes, 24/7. Winter storms off the ocean hit Cardiff's tall coastal trees first, often at night. Call 877-787-7363.
Find Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Cardiff-by-the-Sea runs along Coast Highway 101 above San Elijo Lagoon, with Manchester Preserve's shaded canyon east of the freeway.
- ZIP code
- 92007