NYC
Walnut Tree Removal
WALNUT TREE REMOVAL in NYC
Every fall it’s the same thing. Green-husked nuts thump onto the driveway, stain your hands black, roll under your feet and get buried by squirrels all over the yard. Meanwhile the tomatoes near that tree never quite grew right. A black walnut can be a great shade tree, and a real nuisance. GreenLeaf removes walnuts across NYC, Yonkers, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk County.
Because these are big trees with wide crowns, the job needs planning. Our ISA Certified Arborists start with a free in-person estimate, check the tree’s health, and tell you plainly whether removal makes sense. We’re local and family-owned, with over 40 years of experience behind every quote. See how our tree removal works.
CONTACT GREENLEAF TODAY!
How to identify a walnut tree in NYC
Black walnut is a large tree with a wide, open crown. Its leaves are long compound leaves made up of many paired leaflets. The bark is dark and deeply furrowed, and in fall the round, green-husked nuts drop by the dozens.
Below ground, the tree sends down a deep taproot, which is why it stands so firm in wind.
A walnut bites back: soil, nuts and limbs
Juglone poisons nearby plants
Walnut roots and leaves release juglone, a natural chemical that stunts or kills sensitive plants. Tomatoes, peppers, blueberries, apples, azaleas and some conifers often struggle in its reach. If your garden never does well near the tree, juglone is a likely cause.
Nut mess and a slip hazard
The heavy husked nuts stain hands, driveways and decks. They can dent a parked car, and they roll underfoot on walkways and steps, which makes them a slip hazard. Squirrels bury them everywhere.
Big crown, brittle-ish limbs
A mature walnut carries a lot of weight in its crown. In big storms, limbs can let go, and they fall from a height onto roofs, cars and wires. A walnut that’s also declining has even less margin.
Thousand cankers disease
Thousand cankers disease is a serious, quarantined threat to black walnut in parts of the US. It’s a disease to watch for, and we aren’t saying it’s confirmed in NYC. If your tree shows the signs below, an arborist should look at it.
When a walnut needs a professional look
- Yellowing leaves and early leaf drop
- Dieback in the crown
- Many small cankers under the bark
- Mushrooms growing at the base
- Garden plants failing within reach of the roots
- Large limbs hanging over the roof or driveway
Why choose GreenLeaf?
- Proud members of the Tree Care Industry Association
- ISA Certified Arborists, fully licensed and fully insured, Certificate of Insurance available on request
- Local, family-owned, over 40 years of experience
- Serving the five boroughs of NYC, Yonkers, Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk County
A walnut is a big-tree job with wood worth keeping, which is where a fully licensed, insured crew with cleanup and haul-away included matters most.
Taking down a big walnut, and saving the wood
A mature walnut is heavy, wide and deep-rooted, so we plan the drop before we cut. Limbs come off in sections, lowered on ropes, and the trunk is taken down in controlled pieces. Where the tree towers over a house or wires, we use our crane and rigging capability so nothing swings loose.
Walnut logs are valued as lumber, so ask about keeping the wood for milling. If you’d rather not, we haul it away with the rest. Don’t spread walnut chips or sawdust as mulch around garden plants, because juglone stays in them.
- Free in-person estimate and a health check of the tree
- Decide what happens to the logs: mill, keep or haul
- Sectional take-down with ropes and rigging over structures
- Cleanup and debris haul-away, with chips kept out of the garden
- Stump grinding offered as a separate choice
Walnut in NYC yards, and what happens after removal
Older lots in the boroughs and on Long Island often hold a walnut planted decades ago. If yours is a street tree or grows on public property, you’ll need an NYC Parks permit. GreenLeaf files it through our tree permit service, so you don’t have to chase paperwork.
Juglone lingers in the soil around the stump and roots for a period after removal. Be careful with what you put in that same spot, especially tomatoes and other sensitive plants. If you want the stump gone as well, ask about stump grinding. For a hazard tree, contact us today.
FAQs
Why do my tomatoes die near my walnut?
Walnut roots and leaves release juglone, a natural chemical that stunts or kills sensitive plants, including tomatoes, peppers, blueberries, apples and azaleas. Moving beds farther from the tree usually helps.
Is the walnut wood worth anything?
Walnut logs are valued as lumber, so ask us about keeping the wood for milling. We can’t promise a value, but it’s worth a conversation before the tree comes down.
Can I use walnut chips as mulch?
Not around garden plants. Chips and sawdust from walnut carry juglone, and they can harm sensitive plants. Ask us to haul them off, or keep them away from beds.
What is thousand cankers disease?
It’s a serious disease of black walnut that’s quarantined in parts of the US. We aren’t saying it’s confirmed in NYC. Warning signs include many small cankers under the bark, yellowing leaves and crown dieback.
Can I plant anything after the tree is gone?
Be careful. Juglone lingers in the soil around the stump and roots for a period. Stay away from sensitive plants in that spot, and ask an arborist before putting a vegetable garden there.
Is a walnut dangerous to leave standing?
It can be. Big crowns with brittle-ish limbs can drop wood in a storm, and falling nuts are a nuisance and slip hazard. If yours is declining, get it assessed before the next big storm.
More Removal Guides by Species
Every species fails differently and needs its own removal plan. See our full tree removal service or pick another guide.
CONTACT GREENLEAF FOR WALNUT TREE REMOVAL IN NYC
We’re ready to provide expert tree care & removal services for residential & commercial clients.