Tree Service in Lake Forest, CA
The forest in Lake Forest is eucalyptus, and the city limits cutting it from April 1 to October 31 against the borer beetle. We time our tree service in Lake Forest to match, trimming and removing gum trees and others in the right season.
Tree care in Lake Forest
A city named for its eucalyptus
The forest in Lake Forest is eucalyptus. In the early 1900s, landowner Dwight Whiting planted about 400 acres of gum groves here. Many of those trees are now very tall and very old. To protect them from the eucalyptus longhorn borer, the city limits cutting them from April 1 to October 31 — fresh cuts and cut wood draw the beetle in warm weather. The northeast end of the city meets the foothills and is in a very high fire hazard zone. The 2007 Santiago Fire reached back yards in Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills.
With gum trees in Lake Forest, the calendar decides the job. November to March is the season for cutting.
The work
Lake Forest eucalyptus: winter removal, pruning and stump grinding
Supreme Tree Experts removes, prunes and grinds out gum trees in Lake Forest from November to March, outside the summer limit. When one turns dangerous in summer, the emergency call goes to Supreme Tree Experts.
Tree Removal
We plan gum tree removals in Lake Forest for November to March. From April 1 to October 31, cutting one needs a city permit, given only for a hazard or property damage. Other trees can come down any time of year.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Fresh cuts on these gums draw the longhorn borer in warm months. Its larvae tunnel under the bark and can kill the tree. So we prune them in the cool season and other trees year-round.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
After a gum tree comes down, the wood is chipped or hauled away at once and the stump is ground. Wood left in a pile can breed beetles. We grind below the soil the same day when we can.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
Palms around homes and common areas get their brown fronds and seed stalks cut before they fall. We skin old frond bases from our lift truck for a smooth, tidy trunk. All debris is chipped before we leave.
Emergency Tree Service
An emergency is the one time gum tree work is allowed in summer. The city's cutting permit has no fee but needs written approval from your HOA. If a tree is falling or damaging your property, call us 24/7.
Tree Maintenance
About 400 acres of gum groves went in here in the early 1900s. Many of those trees are now very tall and very old. Regular checks catch dead limbs and weak forks before they fail.
Tree Height Reduction
Old gum trees can grow very tall near homes, carrying heavy limbs high up. We lower the crown in the cool season to take that weight off, never topping. The cut wood is chipped right away so beetles find nothing.
Estate Tree Care
The northeast end of the city meets the foothills and sits in a very high fire hazard zone. The 2007 Santiago Fire reached back yards there. Larger lots get a plan that keeps dead wood out of the trees.
Tree Shaping & Shrub Shearing
Hedges and shrubs are shaped on a steady round so they stay neat and within your HOA's look. Light cuts keep them full from top to bottom. We bag the clippings and sweep the paths before we go.
Landscaping
Here, the property owner is responsible for the parkway tree next to the lot. We plan front yards with that tree in mind. Call Public Works at 949-461-3400 if you are not sure what is allowed.
Hardscape
We build paths and patios on a packed base, clear of the roots of big trees. Gum roots spread wide, so we map them before digging. The stone stays level and the tree stays sound.
Reviews to read before you book in Lake Forest
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 Lake Forest: 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 Lake Forest.
“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
Why Lake Forest HOAs sign off on our eucalyptus crew
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 checks your tree and tells you if it is a gum tree that falls under the summer cutting rule.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
Your HOA will want to see who is doing the work on these trees. We are licensed under California #1002853 (C-27 and C-61/D-49), bonded and insured.
Southern California Since 1985
Storm and wildfire-season clean-up have been part of our work across Orange County since 1985.
Our Own Equipment
Our own boom trucks, chippers and stump grinders mean cut gum wood can be chipped and cleared fast.
How tree work in Lake Forest runs, start to finish
- 01.
Free visit
An arborist looks at the tree. If it is a gum tree, we check the date — April to October needs a city permit, and your HOA must sign off.
- No charge for the visit
- Eucalyptus season checked
- 02.
Plan and date
We set a date in the right season, or help you through the emergency permit if the tree is a hazard now.
- HOA approval planned in
- Right season for the work
- 03.
Work and clean-up
The crew does the work and clears the wood the same day, so it does not sit and draw beetles.
- Wood chipped and hauled
- Stump ground
Straight answers for Lake Forest
6 questions about tree work in Lake Forest, answered without the sales language. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
Only in an emergency. From April 1 to October 31, cutting, pruning or removing one needs a city Eucalyptus Tree Cutting Permit. It is only given when the tree is a hazard or is damaging property. There is no fee, but you need written approval from your HOA. Plan routine work on these trees for November to March.
Because of the eucalyptus longhorn borer. In warm months, fresh cuts and cut wood attract the beetle. Its larvae tunnel under the bark and can kill the tree. Cutting in the cool season keeps the beetle from spreading.
Get it off the property or chipped right away, and have the stump ground. Some HOAs, like Lake Forest II, require wood to be chipped, buried and tarped, or removed at once. Wood left in a pile can breed beetles.
You do. In Lake Forest, the property owner is responsible for the parkway tree next to their property. Call Public Works at 949-461-3400 if you are not sure what is allowed.
Yes — $600 for tree services, wherever the job is. Summer work on these trees needs an emergency permit, so most planned jobs here are priced for the cool season.
Yes, 24/7. An emergency is the one time work on these trees is allowed in summer, so do not wait on a dangerous tree. Call 877-787-7363.
Lake Forest on the map
Lake Forest sits in the Saddleback Valley, rising to the foothills at its northeast end.
- ZIP codes
- 9261092630