Tree & Shrub Trimming
Tree Trimming in Las Cruces, NM: Healthy Cuts for Desert Trees, Shrubs and Palms
Mesquite limbs hanging over the roof, a palo verde that snapped in the last monsoon wind, or shrubs sheared into sad little boxes? We prune trees, shrubs and palms the right way, at the right time of year, and haul every branch away.
Updated October 2026. Most tree trimming in Las Cruces runs $250 to $700 per tree. Shrub trimming from $5 to $35 per plant. Free estimate.
Quick answer
How much does tree trimming cost in Las Cruces?
Tree trimming in Las Cruces usually costs $250 to $700 per tree for trees up to about 30 feet, which covers most mesquite, palo verde and desert willow. Taller trees run $600 to $1,200, shrubs $5 to $35 each and palms $100 to $900.
Price depends on height, how much deadwood or crossing growth there is, how close the tree is to the roof, fence or power lines, and how much debris we haul. Your quote lists every tree.
Signs a tree or shrub needs work
Limbs touching power lines? Don’t cut them yourself. Call El Paso Electric or let us tell you who should handle it.
What we trim
What tree and shrub services do Las Cruces yards need?
Most Las Cruces yards need canopy thinning before monsoon season, deadwood and hazard limb removal, clearance off roofs and walkways, natural shrub shaping, palm frond and seed stalk removal, and occasional small tree removal or stump grinding with haul-away.
Desert trees grow fast when they get water and break when monsoon winds hit a heavy canopy. Good pruning keeps them strong, shapely and off your roof. Need a tree gone? See tree removal and stump grinding.
Canopy thinning before monsoon
We open up dense mesquite, palo verde and elm canopies so summer gusts pass through instead of snapping limbs.
Deadwood and hazard limbs
Dead, cracked, rubbing and low-hanging branches removed with clean cuts at the branch collar.
Roof, wall and walkway clearance
Limbs lifted off roofs, gutters, fences and driveways, and raised for safe walking under the tree.
Shrub shaping, not shearing
Texas sage, oleander, Apache plume and other shrubs pruned to their natural shape so they keep blooming.
Palm trimming
Dead fronds and seed stalks removed from fan and date palms, without over-skinning the trunk.
Removal, stumps and haul-away
Small tree removal, stump grinding and all branches loaded and hauled off the same day.
2026 price guide
What does tree and shrub trimming cost in 2026?
Small trees under 15 feet run $150 to $400, medium trees $250 to $700, large trees $600 to $1,200, palms $100 to $900, shrubs $5 to $35 each and hedges $25 to $60 per 10 feet. Small tree removal starts around $400.
|
Service |
Typical cost |
What changes the price |
|---|---|---|
|
Small tree trimming (under 15 ft) |
$150 to $400 |
Species, deadwood, access |
|
Medium tree trimming (15 to 30 ft) |
$250 to $700 |
Canopy density, roof or fence clearance |
|
Large tree trimming (30 to 60 ft) |
$600 to $1,200 |
Height, equipment, rigging |
|
Palm tree trimming |
$100 to $900 |
Height and number of fronds |
|
Shrub trimming |
$5 to $35 per shrub |
Size, thorns, number of plants |
|
Hedge trimming |
$25 to $60 per 10 ft |
Height, width, haul-away |
|
Small tree removal |
$400 to $1,200+ |
Size, location, stump |
|
Stump grinding |
$100 to $400 |
Diameter and roots |
|
Storm damage cleanup |
Quoted on site |
Broken limbs, urgency, debris volume |
Ranges based on HomeGuide 2026 tree trimming costs (up to 30 ft $250–$700; 30–60 ft $600–$1,200; shrubs $5–$35; hedges $25–$60 per 10 ft; palms $100–$900), adjusted for Las Cruces. Your price is written before we start.
Bundle and save a trip
Most yards have more than one tree. Doing all your trees and shrubs in one visit costs less than separate calls, because setup and haul-away are shared.
A typical pre-monsoon visit
Example: a Picacho Hills backyard with two mesquites over the patio, one desert willow and eight overgrown Texas sage. Thinning the mesquites ($500–$1,000), shaping the desert willow ($150–$300), natural-shape pruning on the sage ($80–$200) and haul-away. That comes to about $730 to $1,500, done in one day.
Illustration of how we price. Your yard and total will differ.
Timing
When is the best time for tree trimming in Las Cruces?
Trim deciduous shade and fruit trees from January to March while dormant, thin mesquite, palo verde and desert willow in late spring before July monsoon winds, and trim palms in early summer. Remove dead or dangerous limbs any time of year.
Heavy pruning in the June heat stresses trees and exposes bark to sunscald. Full calendar: when to prune trees in Las Cruces.
|
Plant |
Best time |
Why |
|---|---|---|
|
Deciduous shade trees (ash, elm, pistache, fruit) |
January to March |
Dormant; cuts close fast in spring (NMSU) |
|
Mesquite, palo verde, desert willow |
Late spring, before July |
Thin canopies ahead of monsoon winds |
|
Palms |
Early summer, after flowering |
Remove dead fronds and seed stalks |
|
Spring-flowering shrubs |
Right after they bloom |
Keeps next year’s flowers |
|
Texas sage, summer bloomers |
Late winter |
Shape before new growth |
|
Dead, broken or hazard limbs |
Any time |
Safety first |
Shrubs pruned to their natural shape bloom better and need trimming less often than sheared “boxes.”
Doing it right
What does good tree pruning look like?
Good pruning makes clean cuts just outside the branch collar, reduces height back to a side branch, removes only what the tree needs, leaves wounds unsealed and shapes shrubs naturally. Topping, flush cuts, stripping the canopy and shearing shrubs into boxes all weaken plants.
|
What we do |
What we avoid |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Cuts |
Just outside the branch collar, no stubs |
Flush cuts into the trunk |
|
Height |
Reduce to a side branch when needed |
Topping, which grows weak, bushy regrowth |
|
Amount |
Remove only what the tree needs |
Stripping out most of the canopy |
|
Wounds |
Leave cuts to close naturally |
Pruning paint or sealant |
|
Shrubs |
Selective thinning, natural shape |
Shearing into balls and boxes |
Pruning cuts, topping and wound-dressing guidance from NMSU Extension Guide H-156, “Tree Pruning Techniques.”
Myth vs. fact
“Topping makes a tree safer.”
Fact: topping triggers clusters of weakly attached sprouts that break more easily, shortens the tree’s life and needs constant upkeep. Thinning and reduction cuts are safer.
Myth vs. fact
“Seal every cut with pruning paint.”
Fact: NMSU notes that sealants can slow wound closure. A clean cut at the branch collar heals best on its own.
How it works
How does a tree trimming visit work?
We walk the yard with you, write down what we’ll cut on each tree with an itemized price, tarp beds and protect drip lines, prune with clean cuts and natural shapes, then haul away every branch and blow walks and patios clean.
You know what we’ll cut, and what it costs, before the first branch comes down.
1
Walkthrough
We look at each tree and shrub, check clearances and point out any hazards.
2
Written plan
What we’ll trim on each plant, and an itemized price.
3
Protect the yard
Tarps over beds and rock, and care around drip lines, pavers and fences.
4
Prune and shape
Clean cuts, natural shapes, deadwood and hazard limbs out.
5
Haul and clean
Every branch loaded and hauled off, walks and patios blown clean.
Local know-how
What makes tree care different in Las Cruces?
Monsoon gusts snap dense desert canopies, intense sun scalds over-pruned bark, thorny mesquite and palo verde need careful handling, overwatering makes mesquite brittle, and Siberian elm seedlings spread fast. Good local tree care plans around every one of these.
Monsoon wind
Dense, top-heavy canopies catch summer gusts like a sail. Thinning before July prevents most split trunks we see.
Thorny trees
Mesquite, palo verde and acacia have thorns that shred skin and tires. We cut, bundle and haul them carefully.
Watering and roots
Over-watered mesquite grows fast and weak. We’ll tell you if your drip schedule is behind a tree’s breakage.
Sunscald
Stripping a canopy exposes bark to our intense sun. We leave enough foliage to shade the trunk and main limbs.
Power lines
Trees near lines are the utility’s job or a line-clearance crew’s. We’ll tell you honestly when it’s not ours to cut.
Siberian elm and suckers
Fast-spreading elm seedlings and root suckers pop up in rock beds. We remove them before they become trees.
Service area
Where do you offer tree trimming?
We trim trees, shrubs and palms across Las Cruces, Mesilla, University Park, Doña Ana, Fairacres, Organ and Talavera, including Sonoma Ranch, Picacho Hills, East Mesa and Metro Verde. Every job includes haul-away and a written, itemized price.
Why homeowners call us
Related services
Tree and shrub trimming FAQs
Get your trees in shape before the next storm
Tell us about your trees and shrubs. We’ll walk the yard with you and give you a written, itemized price.
Las Cruces Landscaping Group
1921 Santa Ines Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88011
(575) 270-0676. Mon to Sat, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Request a Free Estimate
Takes under a minute. We’ll call you back today.