Trees are where Lakewood Ranch's HOA rules, county ordinances, and hurricane season all collide. The live oaks that make the older villages beautiful also drop limbs on roofs, and the palms that line every street need regular trimming to stay safe and compliant.
The ranking below comes from each company's public ratings on Google, Yelp, Angi and the BBB, weighted by review count, with the companies in our lowest-rated tier left out. Nobody pays to appear here. Florida does not license this trade, so insurance certificates and ISA arborist certification do the work a license would. The checklist further down covers what to ask before you hire.
Rankings use a review-count weighted average of each company's public ratings on Google, Yelp, Angi and the BBB, with our Top Rated picks first. Companies in our Lowest Rated tier are excluded from this list. Nobody pays to appear here.
Veteran-branded tree service (941-Army-Man) led by Brandon, based just west of Lakewood Ranch near University Park, providing tree removal, pruning, palm removal, and storm work across Sarasota and Manatee counties. Uses an articulating Avant loader on turf tires to protect lawns, and offers free estimates. Open Monday through Saturday.
Licensed and insured landscaping company in east Bradenton offering landscaping, lawn care, tree service, irrigation and storm cleanup across Manatee and Sarasota counties. The company says it has operated since 1980; BBB lists the LLC as started in 2006.
Sarasota tree company founded in 2018 offering trimming, pruning, removal, stump grinding and landscape maintenance for residential and commercial properties.
Lakewood Ranch-area tree company serving Manatee and Sarasota counties since 1984 with tree and stump removal, pruning and landscaping, with certified arborists on staff.
Bradenton tree removal and trimming company operating since 1990 for residential and commercial customers in Manatee County.
Bradenton tree service in business since 1980 specializing in hazardous tree removal, pruning, stump grinding, transplanting and lot clearing across Manatee and Sarasota counties.
Locally owned tree company started in 2020 offering removal, trimming, stump grinding, land clearing and storm cleanup in Sarasota and Bradenton.
Full-service Sarasota County tree company founded in 2015 offering removal, pruning, stump grinding, emergency work, health assessments and planting.
Tree service founded in 1998 and based just south of the Manatee line, offering pruning, removal, transplanting and stump grinding for residential, multi-unit and commercial properties.
Palmetto company started in 2025 offering professional tree care plus exterior surface cleaning for residential and commercial properties.
3 more tree service companies serve Lakewood Ranch. See the full landscaping & lawn directory, including the lowest rated companies to avoid.
Common jobs: structural pruning of young oaks so they grow away from the house, crown cleaning before hurricane season, palm trimming (removing dead fronds and seed pods, not hurricane-cutting them, which weakens the palm), removal of trees planted too close to foundations and pools, and stump grinding. After a storm, demand for cleanup is intense, and that is when unlicensed out-of-area crews flood the community.
Both Manatee and Sarasota counties regulate removal of certain trees, and most Lakewood Ranch villages require architectural review approval before removing any tree visible from the street. Florida law allows removal of a tree an arborist documents as a danger without a local permit, which is why having a certified arborist's written assessment matters.
On pricing: Trimming is priced per tree by size and access. Removals depend on height, proximity to structures, and whether a crane is needed. Always get a written quote that includes debris haul-away and stump grinding, since those are frequently left off.
Often, yes. Manatee and Sarasota counties regulate removal of larger and protected trees, and most Lakewood Ranch HOAs require approval for any removal visible from the street. A certified arborist's written finding that the tree is dangerous allows removal without a county permit under Florida law, but the HOA may still want notice.
Late spring, before June 1. Crown cleaning and removing dead wood reduces what the wind can throw at your roof. Avoid heavy pruning during summer, which stresses the tree in the heat.
No. Removing green fronds weakens the palm and makes it more likely to snap. Proper palm pruning removes only dead or dying fronds and seed pods, and most HOAs here prohibit over-pruning for the same reason.
There is no state license for tree work, which is why insurance and arborist certification are the credentials to check. Ask for the insurance certificate directly from the insurer, since forged certificates are common in this trade.
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