Tree Service in Pasadena, CA

Pasadena's urban forest has more than 60,000 city trees, and private yards add many more. Tree service in Pasadena has to account for three things at once: a tree protection ordinance, a large stock of early twentieth century houses, and Santa Ana winds that come down off the San Gabriel Mountains.

Chapter 8.52 in plain terms

Pasadena's City Trees and Tree Protection ordinance, Chapter 8.52 of the municipal code, protects public, landmark, specimen and native trees. Requests to remove landmark, native or specimen trees are denied unless the city makes a listed finding, such as the tree not being reasonably likely to survive. For native and specimen trees not tied to a project, city staff decide 15 days after the application is complete. A tree that a firefighter, police officer or the City Manager deems hazardous can be removed without a permit.

Pruning non-protected, specimen or native trees on private property does not need a permit, but pruning a designated landmark tree does. That gives homeowners room for routine care, as long as the work is real pruning and not damage.

Old houses, old trees

About 28.6% of Pasadena's 63,000 housing units were built in 1939 or earlier. Bungalow Heaven alone has about 800 small Craftsman homes built from 1900 to 1930, and much of it became a landmark district in 1989. Trees on those lots often have limbs over low roofs, roots near old foundations and decades of mixed pruning history. We prune for clearance and structure and avoid topping, which weakens a tree and spoils the look of the street.

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Wind is the big one

The city took heavy damage on November 30 and December 1, 2011, when a Santa Ana windstorm toppled trees across Pasadena. The National Weather Service noted that some spotters reported three to four hours of damaging winds there, longer than most areas. In January 2025, parts of Pasadena were destroyed in the Eaton Fire. Thinning heavy canopies, removing deadwood and keeping limbs off roofs reduces what wind can break and what fire can reach.

Emergency calls

If a tree is on your house after a wind event, stay clear of wires and call (626) 594-4788. We make the site safe first, then clean up and quote any further removal or stump grinding separately.

Palms and stumps in Pasadena

Where palms grow in Pasadena yards, we remove dead fronds and seed stalks and leave the green crown, and we never use climbing spikes on a healthy palm. After any removal, stump grinding is offered as a separate line so you can decide whether to grind now, later or leave a flush cut.

Not sure if your tree is protected?

An arborist consultation is the quickest way to find out what you have, what shape it is in and what the city is likely to ask. For public tree questions, the city's Customer Service Center handles requests.