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Tree Care & Arborists in Austin, Texas

Local tree care information, common threats, and certified arborists in Austin, Texas.

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Tree Care in Austin, Texas

Austin's identity is tied to its live oaks — the sprawling, centuries-old trees shading Zilker, Hyde Park, and half the patios in town. Alongside them grow cedar elms, Texas red oaks, pecans, and the ashe junipers ("cedar") that blanket the hills west of MoPac. It's a tough place to be a tree: thin soil over limestone, brutal summer heat, and swings from drought to flash flood, all in USDA Zone 8b.

Oak wilt is the defining threat

Central Texas is one of the worst oak wilt regions in the country. The fungus moves through root systems connecting live oaks — whole neighborhoods share one root network — and above ground via beetles drawn to fresh cuts. The local rule of thumb: don't prune oaks from February through June, when infection risk peaks, and paint any oak wound immediately, any time of year. Red oaks die fast; live oaks decline over years. If a neighbor's oak has it, yours is at risk through the roots — trenching between trees is a real, if drastic, containment tool here.

Heritage trees are regulated

Austin protects its big trees by ordinance. Removing a protected-size tree (19 inches in diameter and up) requires a permit from the city, and heritage trees (24 inches and up of certain species, including live oak and pecan) face stricter review — removal without approval can bring serious fines. Before any significant removal, check with the City of Austin's Development Services arborist program. Don't let a tree crew talk you into "just taking it down" without paperwork; the fines land on the property owner.

Heat, drought, and construction

Most Austin tree deaths aren't dramatic — they're slow declines from soil compaction, trenching through roots during construction, and drought stress that opens the door to hypoxylon canker in oaks. Deep, infrequent watering during summer drought, mulch over the root zone, and staying out from under the canopy with equipment do more for tree health here than any spray.

Working with a pro

For oak wilt diagnosis, heritage-tree permits, or big removals near structures, use an ISA Certified Arborist who works Central Texas and knows the local permitting. The stakes — legally and biologically — are higher in Austin than most cities.

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Common Tree Threats in Austin

Emerald Ash Borer

Moderate

An invasive wood-boring beetle native to Asia that has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across North America since its discovery in Michigan in 2002. Larvae feed on the inner bark, disrupting nutrient and water transport.

Insect

Southern Pine Beetle

High

The most destructive bark beetle in the southeastern United States, capable of killing vast stands of pine trees during outbreaks. Adults bore into bark and introduce blue stain fungus that clogs water-conducting tissues.

Insect

Ips Bark Beetles

Moderate

A genus of bark beetles that attack stressed and weakened pines throughout North America. While they typically colonize dying trees, drought and overcrowding can trigger outbreaks that kill healthy timber.

Insect

Bagworm

Moderate

A moth whose larvae construct distinctive spindle-shaped bags from silk and foliage fragments. They feed on over 100 species of trees and shrubs, with conifers being most vulnerable since they cannot regrow lost foliage as readily.

Insect

Dutch Elm Disease

Critical

A devastating vascular wilt disease spread by elm bark beetles that has killed millions of American elms since the 1930s. The fungus blocks water-conducting vessels, causing rapid wilting. It fundamentally changed the American urban landscape.

Disease

Oak Wilt

Critical

A lethal fungal disease that affects all oak species, with red oaks dying within weeks of infection. It spreads through root grafts between neighboring oaks and via sap-feeding beetles. White oaks are more resistant but not immune.

Disease

Fire Blight

High

A bacterial disease that primarily affects members of the rose family, including apple and pear trees. It can destroy entire orchards in a single season. Bacteria spread rapidly during warm, wet spring weather through blossoms and wounds.

Disease

Cedar-Apple Rust

Moderate

A fungal disease requiring two hosts to complete its life cycle: eastern red cedar (juniper) and apple or crabapple trees. It causes economic losses in apple orchards and aesthetic damage to landscape cedars.

Fungus

View full Texas tree health guide

Frequently Asked Questions

When can I prune oak trees in Austin?

Avoid pruning oaks from February through June, when the beetles that spread oak wilt are most active and the fungal mats they visit are producing spores. The safest window is the hottest part of summer or the dead of winter. Whatever the date, paint every oak cut immediately — Central Texas is the one region where wound paint on oaks is standard practice.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Austin?

Often, yes. Trees 19 inches in diameter and larger are protected and need a city permit to remove; trees 24 inches and up of certain species (live oak, pecan, and others) are heritage trees with stricter review. Fines for unpermitted removal are substantial. Check with the City of Austin Development Services arborist office before removing anything sizable.

Why is my live oak dropping leaves in spring?

Live oaks naturally shed and replace their leaves in late winter to early spring — a quick, messy molt that alarms newcomers every year. If the new leaves come in full and green, it's normal. Veinal browning, thinning that doesn't recover, or dieback a section at a time is a different story and worth an oak wilt evaluation.

What trees handle Austin's climate best?

Live oak, cedar elm, Texas red oak, Monterrey oak, bur oak, pecan, and Mexican sycamore all handle the heat and alkaline limestone soils. Bald cypress does well with some water. Diversify away from an all-oak landscape where you can — oak wilt makes monocultures risky here.

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