3 tree species from Other Hardwoods.
Deciduous Hardwood
Sweetgums are loved for their spectacular multi-colored fall display and hated for their spiny seed balls (gum balls) that cover the ground from late fall through spring. The gum balls are the number one reason for removal requests. They are painful to step on barefoot, a slip hazard on sidewalks and driveways, and a nuisance to clean up. Fruitless cultivars like 'Rotundiloba' solve this problem but are not widely planted yet. The wood is moderately hard with interlocked grain. Sweetgums develop winged bark ridges on young branches. Surface roots are common and can buckle pavement. The trees are otherwise healthy and relatively low-maintenance if you can tolerate the gum balls.
$1,200-$3,500 (removal)
Deciduous Hardwood
Honeylocusts are popular urban trees because their fine, compound leaves cast light, filtered shade that allows grass to grow beneath them. Thornless, podless cultivars like 'Shademaster' and 'Skyline' are the landscape standards. Wild honeylocusts have large branched thorns on their trunks that can puncture tires and cause injury. The thorns are a serious hazard during removal and cleanup. Honeylocusts are adaptable to poor soils, salt, and drought. Spider mites can cause summer bronzing and early leaf drop. Plant bugs cause distorted, curled leaves in spring. The seed pods on fruiting varieties are messy and attract wildlife. Honeylocust wood is surprisingly hard (Janka 1,580) and durable.
$1,000-$3,000 (removal)
Deciduous Hardwood
Crape myrtles are the most popular flowering trees in the South, blooming from summer through fall when few other trees are in flower. They come in a wide range of sizes from dwarf shrubs to 30-foot trees. The number one service issue with crape myrtles is improper pruning, known as 'crape murder,' where the tree is topped or severely headed back each year. This practice creates knobby stubs, weak regrowth, and ruins the natural form. Proper crape myrtle pruning involves selective thinning and removal of seed heads, not topping. Crape myrtle bark scale is an invasive pest that has spread rapidly across the South since 2004, covering bark with white felt-like deposits and causing sooty mold. Powdery mildew is the most common disease.
$200-$800 (removal)