Palm tree removal in Palm Coast, from a dead queen to a 60-foot Washingtonia
Palms fail differently than oaks — they don't drop limbs, they die standing and then come down whole. We remove them before that happens, root ball and all if you want the spot back.
Palm Coast was planted with queen palms and Washingtonias by the thousands in the 1980s and '90s, and a lot of them are now dying: lethal bronzing (the phytoplasma disease that's moved up from South Florida) and Ganoderma butt rot both kill palms with no cure, and a dead palm standing next to the house is a 40-foot pole waiting for a storm. Others are simply too tall to trim safely anymore, too close to the pool cage, lifting the driveway, or — in the case of Washingtonias — dropping fronds with saw-tooth edges on the lanai every week.
Palms come down in sections from a bucket truck or a climber, or with a crane on the tall Washingtonias over the roof. The trunk is hauled (palm wood doesn't chip well), the stump is ground, and if you're planting or paving the spot, we take out the root ball too. Sabal palms — Florida's state tree — usually don't need to be removed and don't need a permit in most cases; we'll tell you which one you have.
What's included
Dead & diseased palms
Lethal bronzing, Ganoderma, and fusarium-killed queens removed before they fall on their own.
Tall Washingtonias
Fifty- and sixty-foot fan palms over roofs and cages, sectioned from a crane or bucket.
Queen & pygmy date palms
Quick removals of the small stuff, including the ones lifting pavers and pool decks.
Root-ball removal
Fibrous root mass dug out so you can plant, pave or sod the spot.
Stump grinding
Palm stumps ground below grade; fill and seed if you want it.
Permits
Most palms are exempt in Palm Coast, but some are protected — we check before we cut.
Palm tree removal cost in Palm Coast, FL
| Job | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Queen or pygmy date palm, under 20 ft | $150 – $400 | Often same week |
| Queen palm 20–40 ft | $400 – $800 | Bucket truck |
| Washingtonia 40–60 ft, open access | $800 – $1,500 | Sectioned |
| Washingtonia over roof or cage | $1,500 – $2,800 | Crane or careful rigging |
| Root-ball removal | +$150 – $400 | Per palm |
| Stump grinding | $75 – $200 | Per stump |
Palm prices depend on height, whether it's over a structure, and whether you want the root ball out. Diseased palms are handled with sanitized tools so we don't carry the problem to your other palms.
Recent work
Questions we get about palm tree removal
Do I need a permit to remove a palm tree in Palm Coast?
Usually not. The City of Palm Coast's tree ordinance exempts most palms; sabal palms and a few others in specific settings can be protected. We check the ordinance against your tree before quoting.
How do I know if my palm is dead?
A palm that's lost its center spear — the newest upright frond — is dead or dying; a palm with brown lower fronds but a green center is fine and just needs trimming. If the spear pulls out in your hand, it's gone.
What is lethal bronzing?
A bacterial-type disease spread by a planthopper that kills queen, date, sabal and other palms within months of the first symptoms: fruit drop, then the lowest fronds bronzing from the tip. There's no cure once symptoms show; removal stops it spreading.
Can you remove the root ball too?
Yes. Palm roots are a dense fibrous mat rather than big lateral roots, so we dig it out with a mini-excavator and backfill. Needed if you're planting or paving; not needed for sod.
Will you take the trunk away?
Yes. Palm trunks don't chip and can't go in the yard-waste stream in most cases, so we haul them — it's a line item on the quote.
Is it cheaper to remove several palms at once?
Yes. Mobilization is the big cost on small palms; three queens in one visit is usually 30 percent less per palm than three separate trips.