What Is Tree Topping?

What Does Tree Topping Mean?

Topping a tree means removing its upper branches, often in large quantities, without regard for natural growth patterns or pruning best practices. This type of cut forces the tree into survival mode, causing weak regrowth and opening it up to disease and pests.

Tree topping is often confused with proper pruning or crown reduction, but it is not the same. Pruning is selective and precise, while topping is indiscriminate and damaging.

Why Tree Topping Is Harmful?

Unpermitted tree topping and improper tree pruning don’t just harm trees — they can also lead to serious legal and financial consequences. In June 2025, King County filed a lawsuit seeking $7 million in damages after homeowners illegally topped more than 140 trees on protected public land at Grand Ridge Park. Cases like this highlight why tree topping is widely discouraged by certified arborists and regulated under local tree codes.

Here’s why professional arborists strongly advise against topping trees:

• 🌿 Weak regrowth & structural failure: Topped trees respond by producing rapid, poorly attached shoots (often called epicormic growth). This weak regrowth creates unstable branch attachments and significantly increases the risk of branch or whole-tree failure.
• 🌞 Sunscald and bark damage: Removing large portions of the canopy exposes previously shaded bark to direct sunlight, leading to cracking, tissue damage, and increased susceptibility to disease.
• 🐛 Increased pest and decay risk: Large pruning wounds from tree topping are slow to close, making trees far more vulnerable to insects, fungal decay, and long-term structural damage.
• 🌳 Reduced lifespan: Trees that have been topped often enter a cycle of decline, experiencing shortened lifespans compared to trees maintained with proper pruning techniques.
• 💸 Higher long-term maintenance costs: While topping may seem like a quick fix, the fast, unstable regrowth requires frequent corrective pruning, increasing maintenance costs over time.

Bottom line: Tree topping causes long-term damage, creates safety hazards, and often violates local regulations. Certified arborists recommend proper pruning methods — such as crown reduction or structural pruning — that protect tree health while addressing safety and clearance concerns.

🌳 Tree Topping vs. Crown Reduction: What’s the Difference?

Tree topping and proper pruning methods like crown reduction are often confused, but they are fundamentally different practices with very different outcomes for tree health and safety.

❌ Tree Topping

• Cuts back large limbs to stubs without regard for natural structure
• Done primarily to reduce height quickly
• Causes weak regrowth, structural instability, and long-term damage
• Increases the risk of branch failure and decay
• Not recommended by professional arborists

✅ Crown Reduction (Proper Pruning)

• Selectively trims the outer edges of the canopy following ANSI A300 standards
• Helps manage tree size, shape, and clearance safely
• Maintains natural form and structural integrity
• Reduces risk without triggering weak regrowth
• Approved and recommended by certified arborists

💡 Bottom Line:
When comparing tree topping vs pruning, crown reduction is the safer, science-based alternative. It addresses height and safety concerns while protecting the tree’s long-term health and reducing the risk of future failures.

Alternatives to Tree Topping

If your tree has outgrown its space or is posing a risk, here are better options than topping:

• ✅ Crown thinning: Removes select branches to improve airflow and light.
• ✅ Crown reduction: Reduces size without damaging the tree’s integrity.
• ✅ Directional pruning: Guides growth away from structures or wires.
• ✅ Tree removal (if necessary): In extreme cases, full removal may be safer than repeated topping.

📞 Consider hiring a certified arborist to assess your tree and recommend the safest and most sustainable course of action.

A professional tree risk assessment can determine whether a topped tree can be stabilized or should be removed.

Local Tree Topping in the News

Illegal tree topping and improper pruning aren’t just harmful to trees — they can carry serious financial and legal consequences, especially in Washington State. Cities across King County, including Seattle, Issaquah, and West Seattle, have aggressively enforced tree protection ordinances, issuing fines ranging from tens of thousands to millions of dollars for unauthorized topping and canopy destruction. These cases often involve homeowners or contractors who believed topping was an acceptable pruning method, only to learn it violated local tree codes and caused irreversible damage. Hiring a certified arborist before cutting ensures your tree work complies with municipal regulations while protecting both your property and the long-term health of your trees.