Sticks Tree Service Inc. provides arborist services in Houston, TX: a careful look at a tree that is declining, leaning or dropping limbs, followed by the work that fits, whether that is pruning, cabling, deep root fertilization or removal. Trey Lamar’s crews work the northwest and west side of Houston from the office at 14120 Cypress North Houston Rd in Cypress. Call 281-373-1472 to have a tree looked at before anyone decides to cut it.
What does an arborist look at on a Houston tree?
The visit starts at the ground and works up:
- The root flare. Is the trunk flaring out where it meets the soil, or buried under mulch and fill? Are there mushrooms, soft wood or cracks in the soil?
- The trunk. Cavities, seams, oozing, bark falling away, or a lean that has changed.
- The unions. Where two big stems meet in a tight V with bark pinched between them, the tree is more likely to split.
- The crown. Thin or undersized leaves, dead tops, sprouts along the limbs, and how much of the canopy is dead wood.
- The site. Recent construction, a new driveway or patio over the roots, grade changes, drainage, and what the tree would hit if it failed.
The answer is written into the estimate: what is wrong, what can be done and what it will involve.
What problems do Houston trees have most often?
Oak wilt
Oak wilt is a fungal disease that kills oaks, red oaks fastest and live oaks over time, and spreads through connected roots and by sap beetles that visit fresh wounds. Texas A&M Forest Service advises avoiding pruning or wounding oaks from February through June and painting oak cuts right away. Leaves that turn brown along the veins, or a live oak losing leaves in patches in the growing season, are reasons for a closer look.
Drought and storm stress
The 2011 drought killed millions of trees around Houston, and Texas A&M Forest Service estimated that about half of Houston-area urban trees were affected by Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. Many survivors carry cracked limbs, torn roots or bark damage that weakens them for years. Stress also invites borers and canker diseases that would not bother a healthy tree.
Construction damage
Roots are mostly in the top foot or two of soil and run well past the drip line. A trench for a sprinkler line or a new slab poured over the roots can kill an oak slowly over three to five years. If work is planned near a tree you want to keep, have it looked at first.
Invasive trees
Chinese tallow seeds into fence lines and beds across the Houston area and crowds out native trees. Texas A&M Forest Service lists it as an invasive species; removing young ones early is easier than taking out a grown tree later.
What can be done for a sick or weak tree?
- Health pruning. Dead and diseased wood removed, and weight taken off weak limbs. See tree trimming in Houston.
- Cabling. Two or more leaders tethered so a healthy but oddly shaped tree can ride out wind. Cabling is not a cure for a tree that is already falling apart.
- Deep root fertilization. Nutrients delivered into the root zone, which also loosens compacted soil and lets air and water reach the roots.
- Mulch and grade fixes. Pulling soil and mulch off a buried root flare, and keeping a mulch ring instead of grass at the trunk.
- Removal. When a tree is dead, dying or a real hazard, tree removal in Houston is the honest answer.
The deeper write-up of signs and treatments is on tree health and pruning.
Is a “tree doctor” the same thing?
People search for a tree doctor, a tree surgeon or an arborist when they mean the same thing: someone who knows trees well enough to tell whether one can be saved. That is what this visit is for.
Where does Sticks Tree Service do arborist visits?
Northwest and west Houston, west of I-45, plus the communities around the Cypress office. For the full city page see tree service in Houston, and for neighborhoods near the office see tree service in Northwest Houston.
What goes into the quote?
- How many trees are looked at and how far apart they are
- The treatment recommended: pruning, cabling, fertilization or removal
- Tree size and access
- Follow-up visits, if a treatment needs them
Sources
- Texas A&M Forest Service: oak wilt
- Texas A&M Forest Service: Chinese tallow tree in East Texas
- Community Impact: Houston-area trees and Hurricane Beryl
- City of Houston: native and adapted plants for Houston
Frequently asked questions
Can my sick tree be saved?
Sometimes. A tree with a healthy root flare, a sound trunk and a crown that is mostly alive often responds to pruning, mulch and fertilization. A tree with decay at the base or a split trunk usually cannot be saved safely.
How do I know if my oak has oak wilt?
Watch for leaves browning along the veins, or a live oak dropping leaves in patches during the growing season. Have it looked at, and do not prune oaks from February through June.
What does deep root fertilization do?
It puts nutrients into the root zone and loosens compacted soil so water and air reach the roots, which helps a stressed tree recover.
When does cabling make sense?
When a healthy tree has two or more leaders that could spread apart in wind. Cabling supports a sound tree; it does not rescue one that is decaying.
Will construction near my tree hurt it?
It can. Most roots are in the top foot or two of soil and spread past the branches. Trenching or paving over them can kill a tree slowly, so have it looked at before work starts.
Is a tree doctor the same as an arborist?
People use tree doctor, tree surgeon and arborist for the same job: someone who can tell what is wrong with a tree and whether it can be saved.
Should I remove Chinese tallow trees?
Texas A&M Forest Service lists Chinese tallow as invasive. Young ones are easy to take out; a large one can be removed and the stump ground so it does not resprout.
Sticks Tree Service Inc, 14120 Cypress North Houston Rd, Cypress, TX 77429. Phone 281-373-1472.