Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the tree's size, its condition and what is under it. Homeyou's 2026 Springfield figures put a medium tree removal at about $517 to $703 and pruning at about $375 to $525. LawnStarter lists Springfield averages of roughly $301 for a small removal and $1,729 for a large one. We give you a written price after seeing the tree.

For an ordinary tree on a private residential lot, we have not found a general city removal permit. Springfield's Land Development Code does protect trees that were counted toward an approved development landscape plan, and many subdivisions have HOA rules. If the tree stands along the street, ask the city's Citizen Resource Center at (417) 864-1010 before work starts.

Generally not. City Utilities says the property owner is responsible for keeping limbs away from the service line, the wire from the pole to the house. CU will disconnect and reconnect that line for free with two business days' notice at (417) 863-9000, so it can be pruned safely. Trees near primary lines are handled through CU's Tree Management office.

It may be. Emerald ash borer was confirmed in Greene County in 2018, and early signs include a thinning crown, woodpecker damage that leaves pale patches on the bark, and small D-shaped exit holes. The Missouri Department of Conservation suggests removal for trees that have lost more than half their leaves and branches. We can look at it and tell you which side of that line it is on.

In Springfield, a Scots or Austrian pine that browns quickly in summer or fall is often a pine wilt case. The disease is carried by sawyer beetles and usually kills the tree. The Missouri Botanical Garden recommends removing infected pines promptly and burning or burying the wood rather than chipping it for mulch, so the beetles cannot breed in it.

We can chip and haul everything, leave logs cut to firewood length, or leave chips for your beds. If you haul brush yourself, the city's Yardwaste Recycling Center takes limbs up to 10 feet long and 10 inches thick for a small fee per load. Larger wood and root balls go to the Springfield Sanitary Landfill.

Yes. Every estimate we give in Springfield and the nearby towns starts with a visit to the tree. A price given over the phone cannot account for wires, fences, slope or decay, and those are what change the cost. Call or send the form with photos to set up a time.

Bradford and other Callery pears tend to split at their crowded forks in wind and ice, and they spread into fields and woods. If yours already has a split or sits over a roof or driveway, removal is usually the sensible call. The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Invasive Plants Council have run a buyback that trades proof of removal for a free native tree.

Homeyou's September 2026 Springfield figures put a medium tree at about $517 to $703. LawnStarter's Springfield averages run from about $301 for a small tree to about $1,729 for a large one. A dead tree, a tree over the house or one near wires usually costs more. We give a written price after seeing it.

For a tree on an ordinary private residential lot, we have not found a general city removal permit. Trees that were counted toward an approved development landscape plan are protected under the city's Land Development Code, and HOAs often have their own rules. Check with the city or your HOA if either applies.

Usually, yes. Emerald ash borer is in Greene County, and dead ash wood gets brittle fast, which makes climbing and rigging slower and riskier. The Missouri Department of Conservation recommends removal for ash trees that have lost more than half of their leaves and branches. A tree removed while still mostly sound is often a simpler job.

Yes. Limbs over the neighbor's side are cut in small pieces and lowered on ropes. We may need to step onto their property to do it, so it helps to tell them ahead of time. Make sure the tree is yours first; a trunk sitting on the property line belongs to both owners.

Only if you want it. The stump is a separate line on the quote. Many people have it ground the same day, while others leave it, especially if the ground is very rocky.

Most mature shade trees in Springfield do well with a check every three to five years, and young trees benefit from structural pruning every couple of years while they are forming. Fast growers like silver maple and trees over a roof may need it more often. After a big ice or wind event, it is worth having any large tree near the house looked at.

Late winter, while trees are dormant, works well for most species: you can see the structure, and the tree is about to grow and close wounds. Dead and broken limbs can come out any time of year. Spring-flowering trees are often pruned right after they bloom.

Topping cuts big limbs back to stubs. The tree responds with a mass of fast, weakly attached sprouts that break easily and grow right back into wires and roofs. City Utilities avoids topping for that reason, and the ANSI A300 pruning standard does not treat it as acceptable practice.

City Utilities says limbs on the service line, the wire from the pole to your house, are the owner's responsibility. Call CU at (417) 863-9000 with two business days' notice and it will disconnect and reconnect the line at no charge so the limbs can be pruned safely.

Often, if the trunk and main limbs are sound. Broken limbs are cut back cleanly to a collar or side branch so the tree can seal the wound. If the trunk is split or more than about half the crown is gone, removal may be safer, and we will tell you which it is.

LawnStarter lists a Springfield average of about $275, and Homeyou's Springfield range runs from about $75 to $1,000 depending on size. Nationally, HomeGuide puts a first stump at $120 to $400, with each additional stump $30 to $60. Large diameter, rock and hauling chips raise the price.

For a lawn, four to six inches below grade is typical, and deeper if you plan to plant close by. In parts of Springfield, chert and limestone sit close to the surface, and the grind may stop at rock. We check before starting and tell you what to expect.

Grinding chips the stump down below the surface and leaves the deeper roots to rot. Full removal digs or pulls the whole stump and root ball out, which leaves a large hole and is much more work. Grinding is the usual choice unless something is being built right on that spot.

It is better to plant a few feet away. The old roots and chips take years to break down, and the soil there tends to settle. If you want the exact spot, have the chips removed and replaced with good soil first.

Get everyone out of the affected rooms and away from any wires, and call 911 if anyone is hurt or a line is down. Report wire damage to City Utilities. Take photos from a safe distance, call your insurance company, and then call us to get the tree off the house.

City Utilities says it may cut a tree off its lines to restore power, but it does not clean up fallen trees or branches. Once the line is safe, the wood left on your property is yours to deal with, and we can remove it.

It depends on your policy. Many policies cover removing a tree that fell on a covered structure in a windstorm or ice storm, often up to a set limit. A tree that fell without hitting anything may not be covered. Check with your agent; our itemized paperwork helps with the claim.

Small limbs on the ground, yes, if you are comfortable with a saw. Anything bent under tension, hung up in another tree, lying on the house or touching wires is dangerous to cut, and is better left to a crew. If you haul brush yourself, the city's Yardwaste Recycling Center takes limbs up to 10 feet long and 10 inches thick.

Sometimes. A tree that lost a few limbs but has a sound trunk often recovers with clean pruning cuts. A split trunk, lifted root plate or loss of most of the crown usually means removal. We look at it once the urgent work is done and tell you which.

Yes. The Missouri Department of Agriculture confirmed it in Greene County in 2018, with one trap site on a Greenways trail in southwest Springfield and others southeast and northwest of the city. Untreated ash trees in the area should be assumed to be at risk.

If it is healthy and has lost little of its canopy, often yes, with insecticide treatment repeated every year or two. The Maryland Department of Agriculture advises treating only trees with under 30 percent canopy loss. Trees that have lost more than half their leaves and branches are better removed, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

HomeGuide's 2026 national range for ash removal is about $650 to $2,000, and Homeyou puts a medium tree removal in Springfield at $517 to $703. Dead, brittle ash over a house or wires costs more because rigging takes longer. We give a written price after seeing it.

Yes, as long as you burn it at home or nearby. MDC notes the beetle can emerge from ash firewood and logs for up to two years after cutting, so do not move it to another area. We can cut it to firewood length or chip it.

The Missouri Department of Conservation suggests replanting with a different species, such as a native Missouri oak. Plant at least 25 feet from overhead power lines, as City Utilities advises, and call Missouri 811 before you dig.

It depends on the split. A fork that is weak or has a small crack can often be held with a cable and brace rod, combined with pruning. A crack that runs deep into the trunk, or decay at the union, usually means the tree is not a safe candidate. We look at it in person before recommending anything.

Hardware can last many years, but it needs checking, typically every year or two and after major storms. Trees grow, and cables can loosen, wear or need to be moved higher. A cable that is never inspected can give a false sense of safety.

Static systems require drilling small holes for bolts or lags, which the tree seals over with time when installed correctly. Dynamic synthetic systems wrap around limbs without drilling. Either way, the aim is to support the tree while causing as little damage as possible.

Usually not. Bradford and other Callery pears tend to have many crowded, weak forks at once, so one cable rarely makes the tree safe. They are also invasive in Missouri. Removal and replanting with a native tree is generally the better investment.