Pasadena, California
Tree Removal and Tree Service in Pasadena
Pasadena's tree protection ordinance reached onto private land in 2002 and was broadened in 2010. It protects native, specimen, landmark, landmark-eligible and mature trees, and a permit to remove one must be denied unless the city can make specific findings.
- County
- Los Angeles
- Tree rules
- Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 8.52, City Trees and Tree Protection
- Key local rule
- Permit required to remove or injure protected native, specimen, landmark or mature trees on private property
- Electric utility
- Pasadena Water and Power
- Main hazards
- Santa Ana windstorms, wildfire near the foothills, drought, old street trees
What Chapter 8.52 protects
Before 2002, Pasadena's tree ordinance covered only city trees. The 2002 amendment extended protection to designated trees on private property, including homes, apartments, condominiums and commercial sites, with civil and criminal penalties. More than half of the city's roughly 200,000 trees grow on private land.
The protected categories are native trees, specimen trees, mature trees, landmark trees and landmark-eligible trees. Native species commonly listed include coast live oak, Engelmann oak, canyon oak, California sycamore and California black walnut. The tree protection guidelines adopted by City Council resolution set the details, including sizes.
A permit to remove or injure a protected tree must be denied unless the city finds a public benefit or safety reason that outweighs keeping it, or a condition of the tree that justifies removal.
Is my Pasadena tree protected?
If it is a native oak, sycamore or walnut of protected size, an individually designated landmark, or a large specimen or mature tree under the city guidelines, assume so until the city confirms otherwise. Non-native trees below the guideline sizes generally are not.
- Natives
- Oaks, sycamores and black walnuts from a modest trunk size.
- Landmark
- Trees formally designated, or eligible, for their size, age or history.
- Street trees
- Always city trees. Public Works maintains them.
Trees that shape Pasadena
- Coast live oaks
- Native and widespread, especially toward the Arroyo Seco and Altadena border.
- Deodar cedars
- The cedars of Santa Rosa Avenue in neighboring Altadena are famous each December.
- Camphors and Moreton Bay figs
- Huge street and estate trees with roots that lift paving.
- Sycamores
- Native along the Arroyo, prone to anthracnose in wet springs.
- Fan palms
- Tall Mexican fan palms on many streets, with fronds that need regular clearing.
Santa Ana windstorms
On November 30 and December 1, 2011, a severe Santa Ana windstorm brought down thousands of trees across Pasadena, Altadena and the San Gabriel Valley, closing streets and cutting power for days. Old eucalyptus, pines and street trees with shallow roots failed in large numbers.
Downslope winds return most fall and winter seasons, usually from dry northeast flow. Trees that hold up best are those that have been pruned for structure, not thinned heavily, and that are not overwatered or shallow-rooted. See storm preparation pruning.
In January 2025 the Eaton Fire, also driven by extreme winds, burned through Altadena on Pasadena's northern edge. Burned trees there are a separate, ongoing removal and assessment job for owners and Los Angeles County.
Before removing a large tree in Pasadena
Identify the species and size
Native, specimen or mature status depends on both.
Check designations
Landmark trees are listed individually by the city.
Get an arborist report
Document the tree's condition and the reason for removal.
Apply for a permit
Submit to the city with photos, site plan and report.
Follow conditions
Replacement planting or other requirements may apply.
Common trouble in San Gabriel Valley trees
Shot hole borer damage
Tiny holes with wet staining or sugary crust on sycamores, coast live oaks and many street trees.
Brown sycamore leaves in spring
Anthracnose, which usually recovers by summer.
Lifted sidewalks and drives
Figs and camphors with large surface roots.
Leaning eucalyptus
Tall, shallow-rooted trees that fail in Santa Ana winds.
Pasadena tree questions
Is Altadena covered by Pasadena's tree ordinance?
No. Altadena is unincorporated Los Angeles County and follows county rules.
Can I remove a palm in Pasadena without a permit?
Palms are not native, so most are not protected unless they are designated landmarks or meet specimen guidelines. Check with the city.
What happens if a protected tree is removed without a permit?
The ordinance provides for civil and criminal penalties and replacement requirements.
Who prunes Pasadena street trees?
The city's Public Works Department, on a maintenance cycle.
Reach a tree service in Pasadena
Call to be connected with an independent tree company that works in the Pasadena area, or leave your number and one will call you back.
(844) 955-1716Call availability varies by area and time of day
Limbwright is a referral service. Your call goes to an independent tree service company that sets its own schedule and terms. Ask for proof of insurance and a written scope before work starts. How this works
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Talk to a tree service provider in your area. Have the tree's location and what it is near ready.
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