Tree Service in University City, CA
Rose Canyon splits University City in two, and another oak-lined ravine runs along its south side. Our tree service in University City trims and removes both hillside oaks and older yard trees, with a different plan for each.
Tree care in University City
Homes between two oak canyons
In University City, many lots back onto a canyon, and the trees there need a different plan from the ones out front. Rose Canyon splits the community in two. Its floor holds mature sycamore and oak. The ravine along the south edge has dense oak and sycamore stands in Marian Bear Memorial Park. The community began as a 2,500-acre planned tract bought in 1959, so many yard trees have had decades to grow. Trees 1000 has planted over 100 trees on private lots here to rebuild lost canopy.
Hillside trees fall downhill. Plan for where they'd land.
Who governs tree work in University City
City of San Diego
Tree work in University City follows the City of San Diego's rules. The City's Park and Recreation Department controls all trees in public streets and parkways (San Diego Municipal Code §62.0602). You may not remove, cut, trim or otherwise harm a street or parkway tree without a permit from the Park and Recreation Director (§62.0604), and new street trees also need a planting permit (§62.0603). Rules change. Confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before work begins — filing a permit is the property owner's responsibility, not ours.
Source: San Diego Municipal Code, Chapter 6, Article 2, Division 6: Street Planting
Services
University City canyon pruning, oak care and crown reduction
Supreme Tree Experts prunes canyon trees and lowers tall yard trees in University City, which Rose Canyon splits in two. Oak roots lifting a patio are a common problem that owners here hand to Supreme Tree Experts.
Tree Removal
We take down yard trees that have outgrown their spot and now crowd roofs, walls or sewer lines. The tract here was bought for building in 1959, so many trees planted after it have reached full size. When crown reduction can't fix it, we plan a removal.
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Our crews prune yard trees that lean out over Rose Canyon or the Marian Bear ravine. Both are open space, so we keep cuttings and gear on your side of the line. Weak limbs come off before they drop onto the slope.
Stump Grinding & Stump Removal
After a removal, we grind out the stump and clear the spot for replanting. Trees 1000 has planted over 100 trees on private lots in University City to rebuild lost canopy. A clean site makes that next planting easy.
Palm Tree Trimming & Skinning
We tidy yard palms by cutting spent fronds and flower stalks, then skin away loose bases for a smooth trunk. A clean trunk sheds less litter onto walks, cars and the street. Our lift truck reaches tall palms from the curb.
Emergency Tree Service
Any time of night, we respond when a rim tree falls toward a house or fence below. Heavy rain can loosen slopes here, and trees on the rim can slide or topple. We work from the street so the crew stays off the wet slope.
Tree Maintenance
We give yard oaks and sycamores near the canyon rim light, steady care, with small cuts each visit. Both are native to the canyons here, and Marian Bear Memorial Park holds dense stands of them. Heavy pruning stresses these natives, so we go slowly.
Tree Height Reduction
We reduce crowns on older yard trees that now tower over lower homes nearby. Cuts go back to strong branches, which keeps the tree's shape and avoids topping. Crown reduction often saves a tree that would otherwise come out.
Estate Tree Care
We plan care for whole lots where yard trees meet native oak and chaparral. Rose Canyon splits the community in two, and its floor holds mature sycamore and oak. One plan covers your trees on both sides of the fence.
Tree Shaping & Shrub Shearing
We shape shrubs and thin brush near the house on lots that back onto canyon open space. Brush rules reach 100 feet from a home, but native scrub is off limits March 1 to August 15. We book that thinning for the cooler months.
Landscaping
We help pick and plant trees sized for your yard, like the redbud that went into one Whipple Avenue yard. Smaller flowering trees fit near walls and roofs where a big shade tree cannot. We also group beds by how much water they use.
Hardscape
We reset patios and walks that oak or sycamore roots have lifted, moving them outside the root zone. Cutting big roots can kill the tree or leave it unstable. If one root must go, we cut it cleanly and with care.
How we work on University City's canyon-edge lots
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 and checks which of your trees face the ravine and which face the street.
Licensed, Bonded & Insured
Work on the rim needs a licensed crew. Our license, CSLB #1002853, covers C-61/D-49 tree service and C-27 landscaping, and we are bonded and insured.
Southern California Since 1985
We started in 1985, six years after Marian Bear Memorial Park was rededicated on the south edge of this community.
Our Own Equipment
Our own boom trucks reach hillside trees from the street, so crews and gear stay off the slope.
Reviews to read before you book in University City
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 University City: 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 University City.
“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 University City
- 01.
Canyon or street side
An arborist checks trees on both sides of the house and notes any that lean toward the canyon.
- Canyon side first
- Street trees noted
- 02.
Plan around the season
Native brush can't be thinned from March 1 to August 15. We book work near the rim in the months it is allowed.
- Season checked
- Day booked
- 03.
Lower and clear
The crew lowers limbs away from the slope, chips them and hauls everything out.
- Limbs lowered
- Canyon kept clean
Tree work in University City: the common questions
6 answers for University City, no hedging. If yours is not here, call 877-787-7363 and ask.
Your own lot, and native brush only outside spring and summer. City brush rules cover up to 100 feet from a home. Native scrub can't be thinned from March 1 to August 15. The canyons themselves are open space, so we keep cuttings and gear on your side of the line.
Maybe, through Trees 1000. The group works to rebuild canopy lost to construction. It has had over 100 trees planted on private property in University City, such as a redbud on Whipple Avenue. We can take out a failing tree and leave the spot ready.
Work around the roots, not through them. Oaks and sycamores are native to both canyons here and spread roots wide. Cutting big roots can kill the tree or make it unstable. We can reset paving outside the root zone, or prune with care if a root must go.
Some are. The tract was bought for building in 1959, and trees planted in the years after have had time to reach full size. A tree that crowds a roof, a wall or a sewer line can often be fixed with crown reduction. When it can't, a planned removal and a new, smaller tree may be best.
Yes — $600 for tree services, wherever the job is. Here steep-lot access and the size of the older yard trees shape most prices.
Yes, 24/7. Trees on ravine edges here can slide or fall after heavy rain loosens the slope. Call 877-787-7363.
Find University City
University City lies between Rose Canyon and the ravine of Marian Bear Memorial Park, with Standley, Doyle and University Gardens parks across its neighborhoods.
- ZIP code
- 92122