Why we will not top your tree
Topping is not a sound way to make a tree safer. It leaves severe wounds and can produce weakly attached shoots. We recommend an assessment and appropriate pruning instead. [1031]
Updated 2026-10-25
We will not top your tree.
A shorter tree is not necessarily a safer tree
ISA defines topping as cutting branches back to stubs or unsuitable small side branches. The practice can remove much of the leaf-bearing crown. It can starve the tree, expose tissues to sun damage and create wounds that decay. The new shoots may grow quickly but attach weakly. [1031]
Reduction pruning is different
When shortening a branch is appropriate, ISA describes cutting back to a lateral large enough to take over its role. Its guidance gives at least one-third of the removed limb's diameter as the reference. That is a professional pruning principle, not a prescription for every tree. Ask which branches need attention and how much living crown will remain. [1031]
St. Louis prohibits topping City Trees
St. Louis Ordinance 68607, section 19(b), prohibits topping City Trees. Section 25 sets penalties for violations of the ordinance. This provision concerns City Trees, not a blanket claim about every privately owned tree in the region. The city's permit requirements still apply to otherwise appropriate work on City Trees. [1010]
After a storm, do not add another injury
MU Extension warns that topping compounds storm stress. The tree needs foliage to recover, and new shoots from topping cuts are prone to failure. Ask for damaged-branch assessment instead of cutting all remaining branches back to a uniform height. [1032]
When the tree is simply in the wrong place
ISA notes that removal and replacement may sometimes be the better alternative. A tree with insufficient room may not suit its site. The decision should compare appropriate pruning, the tree's condition and a replacement suited to the space. Topping is not a substitute for that decision. [1031]
Questions about this work
Will topping stop storm damage?
It can increase future branch-failure risk through weakly attached regrowth. A storm-risk assessment is more useful than a promise based on reducing height. [1031]