Tree Service in Encino, CA
Encino means oak in Spanish, and its 1,000-year-old Encino Oak once split Louise Avenue in two. Today, our tree service in Encino covers estates and large lots from the valley floor to the hills, where we trim and remove trees.
Tree care in Encino
A neighborhood named for its oaks
Encino takes its name from the oak, and it once had one of the oldest in the region. The Encino Oak was a coast live oak about 1,000 years old, with a trunk 8 feet across. Louise Avenue was split in two to make room for it. It had oak root fungus and other stress, and a winter storm brought it down on February 7, 1998. Today the City of Los Angeles protects native oaks, walnuts, sycamores and bays 4 inches across or more. Estates on the hillside hold many big trees that deserve the same care.
Even a thousand-year-old oak can fall. Old trees need checking, not just admiring.
Who governs tree work in Encino
City of Los Angeles
Encino has no tree ordinance of its own — it is governed by the City of Los Angeles, and that jurisdiction's rules apply here. No pruning permits shall be issued for Historic-Cultural Monument street trees without written approval of Urban Forestry Division management. All tree planting requires a no-fee plant permit that is issued by the Bureau’s UFD. Additionally, UFD upholds protection of Oak trees and other native tree and shrub species protected by the City of Los Angeles’ Protected Tree and Shrub Ordinance. Rules change. Confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before work begins — filing a permit is the property owner's responsibility, not ours.
What we handle
Encino's oaks need light pruning, root checks and careful removal
Supreme Tree Experts prunes oaks, removes trees and checks roots in Encino, where these natives are protected at 4 inches. Digging near an old oak can count as removing it, so Encino owners plan the work with Supreme Tree Experts.
Tree Removal
We remove failing and unwanted trees on Encino lots after naming each species. Native oaks, sycamores and bays 4 inches or more across at 4.5 feet need a Board of Public Works permit. You apply, and we point out which trees qualify.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Our crews prune yard trees, taking off no more than about a quarter of the leaves at one visit. That matches the city's standard for street trees, which never allows topping. Parkway trees themselves need a city permit before anyone prunes them.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
Our grinders take out stumps after a removal, and we clear the chips so the spot is ready to replant. Planting a new tree in the parkway needs a no-fee permit from the city's Urban Forestry Division. For yard spots, you choose the tree.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
We clean up palms on hillside estates and flat lots, cutting dead fronds and seed stalks. Skinning follows, stripping old frond bases so the trunk is smooth and holds no dry litter. Our lift truck for palms reaches tall trunks without climbing spikes.
Emergency Tree Service
When a storm drops a tree on your home, our crews respond 24/7. A winter storm here toppled the 1,000-year-old Encino Oak in February 1998. If a street tree blocks the road, report it through MyLA311 as a tree emergency.
Tree Maintenance
We check old oaks and sycamores for dieback, decay and root trouble on a steady schedule. The Encino Oak suffered from oak root fungus and slime flux before it fell. That fungus still attacks old trees like these, so we watch for thinning crowns.
Tree Height Reduction
We shorten tall trees on hillside lots here by cutting back to strong side branches. Proper reduction keeps the crown's form and avoids the weak sprouts that topping causes. Our own 75-ft boom trucks reach hillside crowns without dragging gear across the lawn.
Estate Tree Care
We care for big oak and sycamore trees on hillside estates with a plan that looks years ahead. Encino takes its name from the Spanish word for oak. Old trees on these lots get slow, steady care that fits that name.
Tree Shaping & Shrub Shearing
We shape garden shrubs and hedges, but we leave two native shrubs alone without a permit. Toyon and Mexican elderberry are protected at 4 inches across. We point them out so they are not cut by mistake.
Landscaping
We plan new lawns, beds and irrigation with room around the roots of protected trees. Under city law, a change in grade or machine damage to those roots can count as removing the tree. So we keep digging well outside the root zone.
Hardscape
We build patios, pool decks and garden paths that work around existing roots. City code makes the sidewalk in front of your home yours to keep up. We lay new paving with room for roots so it stays flat.
Encino tree questions, answered
Start here — these 6 cover most of what you need before booking tree work in Encino. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
Yes, if it is a protected native. The ancient Encino Oak on Louise Avenue was a coast live oak, and that species is protected today. So are valley oaks, black walnuts, western sycamores and California bays. At 4 inches or more across, measured 4.5 feet up, removal needs a Board of Public Works permit. Toyon and Mexican elderberry count too.
Yes. Under city law, harming a protected tree's roots with machinery, fire, toxic products or a change in grade can count as removal. Plan pools, patios and new lawns with room around the roots. The rule covers the same protected natives, walnuts, sycamores and bays included, so know your tree type first.
Only with a permit from the city's Urban Forestry Division. The city's standard says remove no more than about 25% of the leaves and never top the tree. If the tree falls or is about to fall onto the road, report a "tree emergency" through MyLA311.
Age and stress. The tree had oak root fungus, slime flux and air pollution damage, and water flow changed after a nearby reservoir was built in 1921. An El Niño storm finished it off in 1998. Oak root fungus still attacks aging trees, so watch for dieback.
Yes — $600 for tree services, wherever the job is. Big native trees on hillside estates often need rigging over homes and gardens, and that shapes most prices here.
Yes, 24/7. Winter storms here have brought down even the oldest trees. Call 877-787-7363.
What happens after you call from Encino
- 01.
Native or not
We tape each Encino trunk at 4.5 feet, the height the city measures. Oaks, walnuts, sycamores and bays at 4 inches or more there need a city permit to remove.
- Protected trees found
- Trunk measured
- 02.
Street tree or yard tree
Street trees need a city permit even to prune. We tell you which permit applies, and you apply for it.
- Permit type named
- Owner applies
- 03.
Root-safe work
The crew keeps heavy gear off oak roots, cuts to city pruning standards and hauls every branch away.
- No topping cuts
- Wood hauled off
Why Encino estates trust our family crew with their oldest oaks
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
The Tongva called this spot "the place of the oaks." Before any plan, an arborist checks which of your trees are protected natives.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
The city's pruning guide says to hire a company with a C-61 license. We hold C-61/D-49 and C-27 under #1002853, bonded and insured.
Southern California Since 1985
Our family has cared for live oak and sycamore trees across the valley since 1985.
Our Own Equipment
Our own 75-foot boom trucks reach big hillside trees without dragging gear across the lawn.
Reviews to read before you book in Encino
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 Encino: 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 Encino.
“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
Encino and the area around it
Encino runs from the Sepulveda Basin up the hillside on the south side of the San Fernando Valley.
- ZIP codes
- 9131691436