Palm trees are available in various forms and dimensions, which means the price for trimming them varies based on their species, height, and the quantity of fronds (the leaves) requiring removal.
The average cost of palm tree trimming (single palm) is $210 based on national averages so far this year, but realistically it can cost anywhere from $129 to $560 to trim a palm tree.
Below we have outlined the cost of palm trimming in relation to the tree’s height, tree trimming price per hour, and species of the palm tree.
The price to trim palm trees varies between $45 and $945, with the average price being $75. The cost of palm tree removal is mainly based on the size of the tree and the number of dead fronds being removed.
Below is a table to give you a better idea of the price by size.
| Tree height | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| 10 - 15 ft. | $60 - $75 |
| 15 - 25 ft. | $100 - $350 |
| 25 - 40 ft. | $200 - $425 |
| 50 ft. or more | $350 - $945 |
Palm Trimming Estimates by Tree Size
Small Palm 10 – 15 feet palm trim
Expect to pay $60 – $75 for a single palm tree trim on average. If you had more than one palm tree that needed trimming, it would cost less per palm. You might pay somewhere in the range of $230 to prune five (5) palm trees.
Medium Palm 15 – 25 feet palm trim
This would be an ‘average tree’ when it comes to height. You can expect to pay $100 for a single tree and $400 for up to five trees.
Large Palm 25 – 40 feet palm prune
The cost to trim a 30-foot palm tree would be about $200. There will be a discount for multiple trees but the size of the tree is a lot more work for pruning.
X Large Palm – 50 feet or taller palm prune
These massive palm trees will likely need an elevated work platform to carry out the pruning.
A single regular palm tree this size will usually cost anywhere from $300-$600 for a single tree pruned.
This is a fairly wide price range because the location and accessibility can vary, greatly affecting the overall cost.
Affordable Palm tree trimming near me
Finding an affordable palm trimming service near you can be tough at times. You can do a few things to increase your odds of a good deal.
- Look on page two of Google – Websites don’t show up at the top of page one of Google by accident. Companies spend a lot of money to be there. They also charge higher prices to recoup their marketing costs.
- Dispose of waste yourself – Half the cost of palm tree trimming and removal comes from waste disposal, as it can not be shredded like other timber. Ask for a quote with and without the removal of debris.
- Free palm tree trimming – Some companies offer large discounts or even free palm tree trimming for veterans or seniors. Ask around local associations for recommendations before getting estimates from local services.
Palm tree trimming cost by state
| State | Low Estimate | High Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $159 | $680 |
| Jacksonville | $125 | $544 |
| California | $190 | $950 |
| Arizona | $125 | $520 |
| Hawaii | $125 | $670 |
| Nevada | $134 | $580 |
| Georgia | $152 | $550 |
| Las Vegas | $200 | $1,035 |
| San Diego | $110 | $690 |
| Phoneix | $125 | $550 |
| Dallas | $190 | $650 |
| Houston | $150 | $900 |
Palm Tree Trimming Cost Factors
Several factors contribute to the cost of trimming a palm tree. Some of the main ones are:
Tree height/size – The height and size of the palm tree, the more expensive the trimming will be. Below is an outline of prices by palm tree height.
Access to the tree – If the palm tree is easy to access, it is going to be much quicker to trim and cheaper. If your palm is in your backyard with poor access, it will cost more.
Number of trees – This is a no-brainer. The more palm trees you have that need trimming, the more it is going to cost to trim them all.
Type of palm – The type of palm tree being trimmed is a huge cost factor. This of the difference between a Queen Palm and a Date Palm. The size and number of branches become a factor.
Debris cleanup – This generally goes hand in hand with the palm tree species and the number of branches that need trimming.
Travel time – This can be an extra expense, but if you get a local company, you should negate this extra cost.
Emergency service – If the trimming job is an emergency and you expect the company to drop everything and come out after hours, expect to pay a much higher price.
The company used – The tree service you contract is a big cost factor. Companies just come up with the price on the spot. You can save up to 40% between three estimates. So be sure to shop around.
Palm tree removal for free
Free palm tree removal is possible, but not in all cases. To get free palm tree removal, you must first identify your palm tree is a desirable species. Nurseries and landscapers are always on the lookout for palm trees they can sell they can get for free from you and sell to customers. It’s a win-win for both parties.
Some desirable palm trees include:
- Date palm
- Mexican Blue fan palm
- Mediterranean Fan Palm
- Guadalupe Palm
- Pindo or Jelly Palm
- Senegal Date Palm
Palm Tree Pruning Cost Per Hour
Palm tree trimming services generally do not charge by the hour. They charge by the job or annual maintenance.
The reason is that each business has a different setup and number of workers. If you were to have 10 palm trees pruned by a company with 2 workers as opposed to a company with 6 workers, the time taken to complete the job would differ greatly.
The price would probably end up being similar, though, it’s just a tree trimming company with 5 workers will do it a lot faster. This is why they charge by the job.
To get an idea of what tree trimming of a regular tree might cost check out the tree trimming cost guide here.
Free Palm tree trimming cost calculator
Can palm trees be topped?
You cannot cut the top off a Palm tree if you want it to live. If you were to “top” a palm tree completely which means not only taking off all the palm fronds but cutting it down to the trunk line, it will not regenerate.
You will be left with a dead palm tree.
You can, however, cut off all the palm fronds and new ones will sprout back just as long as you don’t take it down too far.
Palm tree trimming cost near me
Go Tree Quote is a FREE service that helps you find the best-priced palm tree trimming service near you based on previous users’ votes.
When a customer requests a quote from us, we send them the closest 3 tree services to quote their palm pruning job. After they have received their quotes we ask them who was cheapest and who they went with and why.
Based on those votes we can determine who the best-priced local palm tree trimming services are and we can get them to quote your trimming job also.
Benefits of Palm Tree Trimming
Regular palm tree trimming not only makes your palm tree look great, but it is also very healthy for your tree. Getting a palm tree doctor to trim your tree each year is a great idea.
Here are some other benefits of palm tree trimming;
Looks great – Nothing better than a freshly trimmed palm tree. Especially when done properly. Don’t go overboard, and keep all fronds above the horizon line.
Hurricane prep – High winds can be brutal for palm trees. Removing fronts stages the sails out of the tree for less stress in high winds.
Sunlight penetration – Some palm trees are prone to rot, especially in humid environments. Allowing more sunlight in will keep them healthy.
More airflow – This also helps fight against rot. The more air that can flow, the less mold and rot can attack your palm tree.
Health boost – In general, removing dead and dying leaves from a palm tree will boost vitality and help promote healthy growth.
Free Palm Tree Trimming
Free tree trimming and removal is a thing. To avail of free tree removal, you need to be a senior, low-income earner or have a highly desirable palm tree species you are happy for a landscaping company to dig out and take away.
Unfortunately, you can’t just phone up a local tree service and expect them to come and trim your palm tree for free. You need to see what programs are available in your state or county.
Veterans can sometimes get free palm tree trimming from local companies. Search for “free tree trimming for veterans near me” in Google to get local companies happy to help.
Palm Tree Removal Cost
Like palm tree trimming, the cost of palm tree removal heavily depends on the size and type of palm tree. The national average cost of palm tree removal is $410. The real range for palm tree removal is $259 to $1,500
How often to trim palm trees
How often you trim a palm tree will depend on the species. Some palm trees, like Alexander Palms, have self-shedding fronds, so they never need trimming, while others can look ugly in under a year.
I recommend trimming palm trees once a year. In my experience, leaving it longer can begin to cause issues for the palm’s health. If you have a tight budget you can stretch it to 2 years without too many issues.
DIY Palm Tree Trimming vs. Hiring a Pro
It is possible to trim a palm tree yourself, but you could make an easy mistake like over-pruning it, causing it to die. So as long as you know what you are doing, you can save a lot of money.
DIY cost
The cost to trim a palm tree yourself is quite cheap. All you need to do is buy a hand saw for about $65 and an extension ladder for $225 and begin trimming. Waste can be disposed of overtime in your bin. Trimming trees from heights is dangerous, so be sure to wear a harness.
Hiring a Pro Cost
As outlined in detail above, the cost of getting a pro to trim your palm tree varies depending on the size of the tree, but the national average is $255.
There are a lot of benefits of hiring a pro such as;
- Guaranteed good job
- Palm tree remains in good health
- Not dangerous for you
Best Palm tree trimming tools for DIY
If you want to trim a palm tree yourself, there are a few handy tools to make the job easier. It’s worth noting that trimming palm trees from heights is dangerous and should be left to local professional services.
Pole saw
Using a pole saw from the ground is a great way to trim palm trees. Anything out of reach should be treated as too high, and you should contact a professional.
Cost to remove fruit or flowers of palm trees
Normally this will take place when you have the dead or dying palm fronds trimmed.
Palm trees flower annually and grow large seed pods that can be quite messy.
It is advisable to get your palm tree trimming service to price for the removal of dead frons as well as seed or flower pods.
The price range to remove the fruit on a 15 – 20-foot tall palm tree, will be $50 – $70. Larger palm trees that are 30 – 40 feet high will usually cost $100 per tree.
IMPORTANT: It is going to cost you the same price to remove dead fronds and seed pods as it will to just remove dead fronds. If you get these done at different times of year you will pay double.
Palm Trimming cost by palm type
Botanical name: Phoenix canariensis
These palms are as big as they get. Not only do they grow tall, but they have a very large girth. With their sheer size comes a lot of fronds. You can expect to pay anywhere from $100 for the smaller example on the left, to $700 for one of the larger ones on the right.
The overall cost will depend on the number of trees and their height.
Mexican fan palm trimming cost
Botanical name: Washingtonia robusta
These palms are also a bit of a pain to trim. The reason is that they have razor-sharp spikes on the fronds that resemble shark’s teeth. There is no trimming these palms without getting spiked many times over, so most palm tree trimming services will charge a premium for these trees.
For the smaller example on the left, you would only pay about $90, but for the larger example on the right, it could cost you as much as $300 – $400 for a single tree. It will depend on the number of fronds that need removal.
What time of year should you trim palm trees?
The best time of year to trim palm trees is between June and August. This is when seed pods are growing but have not yet sprouted and begun dropping hundreds of seeds. During the warmer season, Palm trees are also growing quite rapidly, so their healing is also fast. This allows the tree to heal any wounds from the trimming process before autumn and winter set in.
How far back can you trim a palm tree?
When trimming a palm tree, it is important not to trim any fronds above the horizon line. Imagine a clock face, any fronds hanging below 3 and 9 need to be removed, and anything above needs to stay. Hurricane pruning is not recommended as it can cause intermittent growth issues leading to an odd-shaped palm trunk.
How long does it take to trim a palm tree?
It takes between 20 minutes and 1 hour to trim a palm tree, depending on the species. Queen palms, for example, are quite straightforward and quick, while Date palms are a little more time-consuming.
If you decide to trim a palm tree yourself, you need to also factor in the clean-up time, which can take much longer than the timing process.
FAQ's
Some palm trees are self-shedding, meaning when leaves die they will fall off by themselves. Other palm trees will require pruning. If you decide not to trim your palm it will be fine health-wise, but they do begin to look ugly and can become a fire hazard. It is advisable to have the dead leaves trimmed off a palm tree every 12 – 24 months.
Not really. Regular trees like Oak trees or Pine trees do respond well to a prune and will shoot out new growth immediately after a prune. In the case of palm trees, pruning will not make a big difference. The reason is that palm trees cycle through leaves at a fast rate. For a regular tree to grow a new branch, it needs to support its current canopy mass and THEN add to it with new branches. Palm trees only ever have 12 – 40 leaves/ fronds at any one time. They shed those leaves before growing new ones. Cutting them off won’t make this process work any faster.
If the palm tree is on your property, you will need to pay to have it trimmed. If it is on council land, you can apply at the local council office for them to trim the tree. If you are in a rental property, you will have to ask your landlord before going ahead with any tree trimming work. You might find they will come to the party and pitch in to get it trimmed. If it is not necessary and is only for aesthetics, they might not be willing to spend the money.
Palm trees can be quoted over the phone in some cases. Because they are a fairly straight-forward job, tree services normally have a standard pricing system for giving customers estimates. That being said every tree service is different, so you will need to contact your local palm trimming service and ask.
As long as the tree trimming service has access to the palm trees that need pruning, you will not need to be there when the job is being done. Tree services understand that customers need to work and are normally happy to do the job and swing past later for payment.
In most cases yes. Most self-respecting arborists will include the waste removal in the price. There are done dodgy operators out there like in any trade so I would get them to specify on the quote that the waste removal will be included in the pruning cost.
Palm trees are very resilient and are not phased if you decide to leave the dead fronds on the tree It does look ugly and can be a fire hazard, but it will not affect the health of the tree. A good trim is recommended every year or two.
Your palm tree will die if you cut the top off. Palm trees grow a bit like the bud of a flower. New fronds sprout from the center in a lifelong cycle which sees the palm trees trunk extend skyward as each new layer of fronts grows and dies. If you were to remove the whole top of the palm tree it would not survive.
Cost to trim a tree – Notes and General Information
These estimates are for BASIC work performed in regular conditions by a qualified arborist priced at mid-range in the market. Requesting tree trimming work as an emergency service, during peak times, or using certain companies will result in HIGHER COSTS.
These estimates are NOT substitutes for written quotes from qualified arborists or tree service professionals. GoTreeQuotes strongly recommends that you contact reputable and certified professionals for accurate assessments of the work required and costs for your project before making a decision or committing.
The cost estimate includes:
Costs for a qualified local arborist to climb using a single Rope Technique or elevated work platform and trim your tree.
It costs to remove all waste material from the site and leave it as they found it.
Setup time and minimum hourly charges are usually included for tree trimming jobs.
The cost estimate does NOT include:
Costs for tree risk and hazard assessments. This is a separate service and will incur additional costs.
Costs for a written arborist report to gain permission from your city, county, or state to trim your tree.
Sales tax for service rendered.
Permit or inspection fees (or a portion thereof) are required by your local tree ordinance.
Cost to trim a tree – Unit Price References
Standard estimating practices – American Society of Professional Estimators, Website, 2019
Finding and hiring a consulting arborist – American Society of Arboriculture, website, 2020
How to hire a tree service – University of Florida, pdf, 2019.
Research foundation to tree pruning – ResearchGate, website, 2018
How to hire tree care professionals – University of Minnesota, website 2020
Tree trimming Guidelines
