JB
★★★★★
March 11th, a brief but strong storm came through Goodlettsville and blew over two giant trees in my front yard; one which was being supported by a 3rd tree that was facing and threatening my house. It was an…
Julie Bangs●3 days ago
Wilmington's expert arborists. Live oaks, tall pines, hurricane country.
From removals to structural pruning to storm calls in the middle of the night, we're on call. Wilmington's trees grow on sandy coastal ground within reach of salt air and Atlantic hurricanes, and the live oaks, laurel oaks, and tall pines here each fail in their own way. Expert arborists, on call around the clock.
99% recommended
Why Wilmington
Why Wilmington trees need a real arborist.
The Certified Arborist Tree Service brings expert arborists, consistent standards, and the insurance that matters to your property across Wilmington and the surrounding Cape Fear coast, whether it is one storm damaged live oak or a yard full of pines after a hurricane.
Wilmington sits on the Cape Fear River a few miles from the ocean, on coastal plain sand that drains fast on the higher ground and holds a high water table in the low spots. Summers are long and humid, and the tropical season runs from June through November. Pines and oaks tend to root shallow where the water table sits close to the surface, which leaves them less anchorage when a storm soaks the ground and the wind arrives at the same time.
Hurricane Florence made landfall near Wrightsville Beach in September 2018 and brought down trees across the region, many of them on saturated ground. Knowing which laurel oak is already hollow, which pine is leaning toward the house, and which live oak only needs its canopy thinned is what keeps a tree standing through the next one. That is the judgment a crew with a chainsaw does not carry.
Why Wilmington trees fail
The risks to watch in Wilmington right now.
When a tree fails here, the cause is often one of these problems, which an arborist checks on a Wilmington site visit.
Southern Pine Beetle and Ips Engravers
Loblolly pines, and to a lesser degree longleaf, draw bark beetle attacks when drought, lightning, root damage, or storm injury weakens them. Pitch tubes, boring dust, and a crown fading from green to yellow are the signs to catch before beetles move into nearby pines.
Hypoxylon Canker in Laurel and Water Oaks
Laurel oak and water oak grow fast and live relatively short lives, and once drought, root damage, or age stresses them, hypoxylon canker and internal decay can move through the trunk. A full crown can hide a lot of rot, so suspect trees get sounded and probed rather than judged from the curb.
Laurel Wilt
This disease, carried by the redbay ambrosia beetle, has been confirmed by the N.C. Forest Service in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties. It kills redbay and sassafras, and a tree with drooping, reddish brown foliage is worth having identified before it is cut and hauled away.
Hurricanes, Nor'easters, and Salt Spray
Tropical storms and nor'easters bring wind, flooding, and salt spray together. Structural pruning, root flare checks, and removing dead limbs before the season reduce what the next storm can bring down.
Service area
Our Wilmington service area.
Serving Wilmington and the surrounding Cape Fear coast communities.
Areas we cover
Click an area to learn more about it.
- Wilmington
- Leland
- Oak Island
- Hampstead
- Carolina Beach
- Shallotte
- Southport
Free estimate
Tree care in Wilmington, one form away.
Tell us what is going on with your trees. An arborist serving Wilmington calls you back, walks the property, and puts the price in writing before anything is scheduled.
Prefer to talk? (844) 835-8733What people are saying
Rated 4.9 stars across 140+ reviews.
Real reviews from real customers, straight from our Google Business Profile. Here's what people say once the crew has packed up and the yard is clean.
JM
★★★★★
From the time I inquired w this company about removing a tree that was strongly impacted from the major strong 80 mph winds on March 3, 2023, they provided us w exceptional service in every way . They were…
Jeanne Mason●3 weeks ago
MD
★★★★★
My family had a tree removal emergency! A large tree in our back yard was on fire and splitting down the middle. The fire department came out the night before to extinguish the fire, but when I woke up the…
Mysty Diehl●6 weeks ago
What we do
Tree care across Wilmington, made easy.
Tree Services
Tree Removal
Whether a tree is damaged, dead, or a safety hazard, our crews handle removal safely and efficiently, with minimal disruption to your property.
Learn more →Tree Services
Tree Trimming & Pruning
Keep your trees safe, structured, and looking right. We remove dead or overgrown branches, improve clearance, and reduce storm risk.
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Emergency & Storm Damage
When storms cause tree damage, our emergency team responds quickly to remove hazards, clear debris, and restore safety.
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WindReady™ Storm Prep
Strategic pruning, cabling, and bracing to reduce storm damage risks before severe weather hits.
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Safety & Risk Assessments
Identifying potential hazards before they become problems. Tree stability, structural integrity, and surrounding risks evaluated on-site.
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Virtual Consulting & Estimates
Get expert arborist guidance without a site visit. Share photos or video of your trees and receive a written assessment and estimate within 24 hours.
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Multi-Location Management
Simplify tree care across multiple properties with a single, trusted provider. Consistent maintenance and emergency response.
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HOA & Property Management
One point of contact for the whole community: scheduled rounds, reports a board can read, and uniform standards across every lot.
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Municipal Tree Care
ROW maintenance, public works contracts, and storm response for city forestry teams. We handle permits and traffic plans.
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Corporate Campus Grounds
Corporate campuses, hospital systems, and headquarters landscapes. Quarterly walks, annual risk reports, and paperwork your facilities team can keep on file.
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Commercial Emergency Response
Fast dispatch to any property in our service area, with the insurance that matters and safety plans your operations team can review.
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Property Tree Inventory
A geotagged inventory of every tree on the property: species, age, condition, and recommended work, refreshed annually.
Learn more →Trees we know
The Wilmington species list, and what to watch for.
Local soil, local weather, local pests. Each species here fails in its own way, and we plan around all of them.
Live Oak
Wilmington's signature shade tree, wind firm and salt tolerant, but heavy horizontal limbs and old pruning wounds still call for inspection and careful thinning.
Laurel Oak
Common in yards and along streets, fast growing and relatively short lived, with a known tendency toward interior decay and limb drop as it ages.
Longleaf Pine
The historic pine of the Wilmington area, deep rooted and fire adapted, and generally more wind resistant than loblolly when grading has not damaged its roots.
Loblolly Pine
Fast growing and widespread on lots cleared from pine woods, a primary host for southern pine beetle, and prone to snapping or uprooting when a tall tree stands alone on wet ground.
Southern Magnolia
Native to the coastal plain and tough in salt air, though its dense evergreen crown and low limbs often need clearance pruning near roofs and driveways.
Crape Myrtle
Planted across the city for summer color, and often damaged by topping cuts that leave weak sprouts. Corrective pruning restores a sound structure.
Local expertise
Why an Expert Arborist Matters in Wilmington
Wilmington's coastal sand, high water table, and long hurricane season put specific stress on the trees planted here. A crew with a chainsaw treats the tree that already failed. An arborist reads the laurel oak with early decay, the pine drawing bark beetles, or the live oak carrying too much weight on one limb, and acts before failure, not after.
Estimates are walked by an experienced arborist. Cuts follow ANSI A300 standards, risk assessments follow TRAQ methodology, and you get a written plan before work begins.
Across the Cape Fear Coast
From Hampstead in Pender County to Leland, Southport, Oak Island, and Shallotte in Brunswick County, and Carolina Beach on Pleasure Island, the communities in our Wilmington coverage area have their own pages covering the species, soil, and storm exposure specific to that town.
Salt exposure shifts from the barrier islands to the river towns, but the standard does not. Pruning follows ANSI A300 standards, and risk assessments follow TRAQ methodology.
Wilmington FAQ
Local questions, local answers.
Don't see your question? Call us. Calls are answered by a real person, day or night.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Wilmington?
Local rules vary by jurisdiction, lot, and whether the tree is protected. We confirm the requirements for your exact Wilmington address and handle any permit or arborist report needed before work begins.
How fast can an arborist get to my property?
Most estimate visits happen within 24 hours, and storm emergencies get a crew on site the same day. We answer the phone around the clock.
What is killing the redbay trees around Wilmington?
Laurel wilt, spread by the redbay ambrosia beetle, has been confirmed in New Hanover County and much of southeastern North Carolina. It kills redbay and sassafras quickly. An arborist can confirm the cause and advise on removing dead trees safely.
Why did so many trees fall during Hurricane Florence?
Florence moved slowly and dropped heavy rain for days. On soaked sandy ground with a high water table, roots lose their grip, so trees that might have stood through the wind alone came down with the soil still attached.
What standards do your arborists follow?
Our crews are trained to ANSI A300 pruning standards, and risk assessments follow TRAQ methodology. An expert arborist conducts the estimate in Wilmington.
Are you insured?
Yes. We carry the insurance that matters, the kind that protects every inch of your property.
Take back your trees today
One expert arborist. Every tree on your property.
Free estimate. Twenty-four-hour response. No contracts. No commitments.
Or call (844) 835-8733, answered 24/7 by a human.
