Tree Work on St. Louis City Lots, Neighborhood by Neighborhood

Neighborhood by Neighborhood

Which St. Louis City Neighborhoods Do You Work In?

Every part of the City of St. Louis is in the service area. The neighborhoods below differ in house age and layout, and that changes how a tree job is planned.

Tower Grove South, Tower Grove East and Shaw

These neighborhoods surround Tower Grove Park, the Victorian walking park Henry Shaw deeded to the city in 1868, next to the Missouri Botanical Garden he founded in 1858. Tower Grove East is mostly two-and-a-half-story homes and flats. Expect shade trees in small backyards with the garage on the alley.

Soulard and Lafayette Square

Lafayette Square grew up around Lafayette Park, set aside in 1836 as the city's first public park, and is known for its Victorian town houses. Soulard, within walking distance, has had its market since the 1840s. The tornado of May 27, 1896 uprooted most of the trees in Lafayette Park, so the canopy there is younger than the houses. Rear yards are small and often enclosed, so tree work is usually done by climbing and lowering pieces by rope.

The Hill and Dutchtown

The Hill became the city's Italian neighborhood between the 1880s and 1924. It began as frame shotgun houses for clay-mine workers, with one-story brick houses added after 1900. In Dutchtown, the older blocks north of Meramec Street are mostly two- and four-family flats built between 1890 and 1910. In both, a single backyard tree can hang over two or three neighboring properties.

Central West End

The Central West End grew up beside Forest Park, which opened on June 24, 1876 and hosted the 1904 World's Fair. Its grand houses on streets such as Westmoreland and Portland places date from that era, and trees of the same age stand close to them, where careful pruning matters more than speed.

St. Louis Hills, Holly Hills and Carondelet

St. Louis Hills, one of the last large parts of the city to be developed, was built mainly from the 1930s to the 1950s around Francis Park. Holly Hills, where the first building permit was issued in 1926, sits beside Carondelet Park. Carondelet was a separate city until St. Louis annexed it in 1870.

Outside the city limits? See the full list of service areas.

What Grows Here

Which Trees Cause the Most Trouble in St. Louis City Yards?

On a small city lot, the trouble comes from large, fast-growing shade trees planted decades ago and from volunteer trees that seeded themselves along fences and alleys.

• Silver maple. Grows fast to 50 to 80 feet, and the Missouri Botanical Garden warns its weak, brittle branches break in high wind or under ice.
• Pin oak and other oaks. Long-lived shade trees that outgrow small yards and need deadwood removed over roofs and garages.
• Sweetgum and sycamore. Both become tall trees on small lots; sweetgum typically reaches 60 to 80 feet.
• Ash. Emerald ash borer has been in Missouri since 2008 and was widespread statewide by 2020, according to the Department of Conservation, and the ash trees it infests die. See whether to treat or remove an ash tree.
• Mulberry, hackberry and tree-of-heaven. These commonly sprout on their own along fence lines and alleys and grow into wires and garages before anyone notices.

For price ranges, read how much tree removal costs in St. Louis. For trees brought down by wind, see storm damage tree removal.

Last Updated: November 2026