Hire a certified Arborist for the life of your trees
Arborists are certified and committed to the betterment of all trees. Unlike landscapers, arborists are trained and practice proper pruning techniques. On this page you will learn the negative effects topping a tree has on its overall health.
Eight reasons not to top your trees
Starvation: removing more than 1/4th of a trees crown upsets the crown to root ratio and temporarily cuts off its food production abilities.
Shock: removing the crown of the tree removes its umbrella which was protecting it from the sun. By removing this protection it can make the bark susceptible to sun scalding.
Insects & Disease: the large stubs of a topped tree create a highly vulnerable area for insect invasion and spores of decay fungi.
Weak Limbs: limbs that may sprout after a topping are very weakly attached to the branch, and therefore cause hazardous conditions for life and property around the tree.
Rapid New Growth: most tree topping occur to "control the height" of a tree. However, topping actually inhibits the growth of excessive sprouts which grow 2-3 times faster than a normal branch.
Tree Death: trees can become so stressed following a topping that it can die within the next year, causing even more hazardous conditions, and more cost to the owner.
Ugliness: topping a tree strips it of its natural and graceful growth habits. The landscape and community are robbed of a valuable asset after a tree is topped.
Cost: initial costs for topping a tree may seem like the best idea at first, but the true costs of topping are hidden. Costs after a topping may include: tree removal, property damage, reduced property value and increased future maintenance.