Tempe's Expert Arborists

Tempe’s Tree Challenges

Palo verde and mesquite make up most of Tempe’s older residential canopy, and both carry the risks common across this stretch of Maricopa County. Palo verde root borer larvae work inside roots for years before an adult beetle surfaces, so a tree can look fully leafed out while its root system already fails underground. Mesquite holds its structure well but collects mistletoe readily, and a limb carrying that parasite for a season or two can let go with almost no visible warning.

Ficus and desert willow, both common in Tempe landscaping, add sooty canker and heat stress to the list, especially on trees watered on a schedule the desert never asked for. Monsoon microbursts, haboob dust storms, extreme heat, and drought set the risk calendar here, and most storm damage calls we take in Tempe trace back to a tree already compromised before the wind arrived. A pre monsoon inspection, done every spring, catches root rot, borer damage, or mistletoe load while there is still time to prune, cable, or remove safely, instead of reacting after the fact.