From routine pruning to emergency storm response, Prime Tree Care brings certified expertise and honest, upfront pricing to every property across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
Every service is performed by ISA-certified arborists using industry-standard safety practices — from a single backyard tree to full commercial properties.
Safe, code-compliant removal of hazardous, dead, or storm-damaged trees — including tight-access backyards, near-structure jobs, and parkway trees requiring city permitting.
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Structural pruning and crown thinning timed to Chicago's dormant season, reducing disease transmission risk while improving safety, sightlines, and long-term tree health.
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Complete stump removal below grade, roots ground out, and the area leveled — ready for new sod, planting, or hardscaping right away.
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Storm damage, fallen limbs, or a tree threatening a structure — our crews respond around the clock, every day of the year, across Chicago and the suburbs.
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Support systems installed on mature or storm-prone trees before severe weather hits, reducing limb failure risk during Chicago's high-wind season.
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On-site diagnosis and treatment for emerald ash borer, Dutch elm disease, fungal issues, and other pests common to Chicago's clay-soil neighborhoods.
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Clearing for new construction, additions, or overgrown lots — trees, brush, and debris removed and the site left clean and grade-ready.
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Ongoing maintenance plans for HOAs, property managers, and commercial sites — scheduled inspections, trimming, and risk mitigation across Chicagoland.
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Most tree companies serving Chicago run the same playbook everywhere they go. Prime Tree Care doesn't. We're built specifically around the problems that actually show up on Chicago properties — the ones a generic landscaping crew misses until it's too late.
Chicago's tree canopy is under real, documented pressure. Ash trees make up a huge share of the city's street and residential trees, and emerald ash borer continues to move through neighborhoods block by block — we know how to identify it early, when treatment can still save the tree, instead of waiting until removal is the only option. Our crews also see the effects of Chicago's dense clay soil firsthand: it compacts easily, drains poorly, and puts real stress on root systems, which is exactly why our fertilization and planting recommendations are built around this soil, not generic national advice.
Severe storms have hit Chicagoland harder and more often in recent years — high-wind derechos, straight-line wind events, and sudden downbursts that put mature trees, garages, and power lines at risk with almost no warning. We stock the cabling, bracing, and emergency-response capacity this climate actually demands, and our crews carry the training to work safely near power lines and structures, not just around them.
We also understand the parts of tree ownership that create the most confusion locally — the difference between a parkway tree the City of Chicago's Bureau of Forestry is responsible for and a private tree that's entirely yours, what permits are actually required before removal, and how to document a hazardous tree properly if you're stuck waiting on a slow-moving city request. Most homeowners find this out the hard way. We walk you through it up front.
Every inspection, diagnosis, and cut is led by a credentialed arborist who knows Chicago's soil, species, and storm patterns — not a rotating crew of day laborers.
Verified coverage protects your property, your neighbors', and our crews on every job — ask to see it before you sign anything, with us or anyone else.
Clear, itemized pricing before we start work — no vague verbal quotes, no surprise fees for disposal, permits, or "extra" complexity once the crew arrives.
Crane and bucket-truck access when a job genuinely calls for it — we don't send an undersized crew to save money on a tall or tight-access removal.
We know Chicago's parkway-tree rules, suburb-specific diameter thresholds, and permitting requirements — so your project doesn't stall on paperwork we should have caught.
Years of hands-on work across the city's neighborhoods and suburbs means we've already seen your tree's problem before — and know what actually fixes it.
Generic tree-care advice doesn't account for what actually happens to trees in this climate and soil. Here's what we deal with on Chicago properties, all season long.
A large share of Chicago's tree canopy is ash, and EAB has spread through nearly every neighborhood. We check for D-shaped exit holes, canopy dieback, and bark splitting to catch it while treatment is still an option.
Compacted clay across much of Cook County restricts root growth and drainage. Our fertilization and planting plans are built around correcting this, not generic national soil guidance.
Chicagoland has seen a real rise in high-wind derecho and straight-line wind events. We install cabling and bracing before storm season, not just cleanup after.
Common older silver maples throughout the city are prone to limb failure. We identify structural risk early with proactive pruning instead of waiting for a storm to make the decision for you.
The city owns parkway trees; you own everything on private property. We help you understand which is which, and what to do when a hazardous city tree is stuck on a long wait list.
Mature trees planted close to older Chicago homes often push roots into driveways and foundations. We assess whether root management, not removal, can solve it.
Reach us by phone or the estimate form — we typically respond same-day.
A certified arborist inspects the tree and property in person, no obligation.
You get a clear price and timeline before any work is scheduled.
Our crew completes the job safely and leaves your property clean.
Based in Hickory Hills, Prime Tree Care serves homeowners and businesses throughout the City of Chicago and Cook County — including the Northwest Side communities of Jefferson Park, Norwood Park, Edison Park, Forest Glen, Portage Park, Dunning, Belmont Cragin, Montclare, and the O'Hare area.
"Prime Tree Care removed a massive silver maple that was leaning toward our garage. They brought a crane instead of risking it freehand — exactly the kind of attention to safety I wanted."
"They explained exactly why our ash trees needed EAB treatment instead of removal, and the pricing was upfront from the first visit. No surprise add-ons."
"Called after a storm knocked a limb onto our fence and they were out within hours. Professional crew, cleaned up everything before they left."
It depends on whether the tree is on private property or a city-owned parkway. Private trees on your own property generally don't require a city permit to remove. Parkway trees are owned by the City of Chicago and are managed by the Bureau of Forestry — removal typically requires going through the city rather than a private contractor alone.
Common signs include D-shaped exit holes in the bark, thinning or dying canopy starting at the top of the tree, bark splitting with S-shaped larval tunnels underneath, and increased woodpecker activity. An ISA-certified arborist can confirm EAB and advise whether treatment or removal is the better option.
A parkway tree grows in the strip of land between the sidewalk and the street and is owned and maintained by the City of Chicago's Bureau of Forestry. A private tree is anywhere on your own property and is your responsibility to maintain, insure, and remove if necessary.
Yes. Prime Tree Care provides around-the-clock emergency response for storm damage, fallen limbs, and trees threatening a structure or power line, across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
Speak with a certified arborist today — same-day response for most Chicagoland requests.
