Mortdale based. Sydney wide. 15 years on the tools.
Jacaranda Tree Removal & Pruning Sydney
AQF Level 5 arborists, $20M public liability and council paperwork handled. Tell us about the job and we call you back the same day.
★ 5.0 from 71 Google reviewsAQF Level 5 arboristsISO 9001 certified$20M public liability
Sydney’s favourite tree in November, and a council-protected one the rest of the year.
Jacaranda mimosifolia is not on any Sydney council’s exempt list, so once it passes the size threshold it needs a permit like any other tree. Most of the jacaranda calls we take are not about removal at all: a tree that has outgrown the front yard, branches over the pool dropping purple flowers in the filter, a limb that split in a storm, or a neighbour’s tree over the fence. Pruned properly, a jacaranda keeps its shape for years. Lopped, it throws a crowd of straight shoots that look worse by the next spring.
Do you need council approval for a jacaranda?
- Removal — a permit in every Sydney council once the tree meets its threshold (Georges River: 3 m tall or 100 mm trunk; Canterbury-Bankstown and Randwick: 5 m; Ku-ring-gai: 5 m or 150 mm trunk — see our Ku-ring-gai guide). A well-grown jacaranda reaches about 15 m high and wide, so assume yes.
- Exemptions that do apply — a jacaranda within 3 m of a wall of the house in Canterbury-Bankstown or Ku-ring-gai (trunk centre to wall, not a verandah or garage); a tree under the size threshold; a dead or dangerous tree with the right evidence. Georges River has no distance-from-dwelling exemption.
- Pruning without a permit — deadwood everywhere; branches directly over the roof in Sutherland Shire and Ku-ring-gai; up to 10% of the canopy a year in Hornsby and Inner West; nothing beyond deadwood in Georges River, and an application for anything in Bayside. The full council-by-council table is on our tree pruning page.
We check your council, lodge the application if one is needed, and tell you up front what it will and will not approve — no council approves removal because the flowers are messy.
Pruning a jacaranda properly
When: winter, while the tree is bare and before the spring growth and the late-October flowering that runs into November in Sydney — you can see the structure, and the tree has the whole season to seal the cuts. Light deadwooding can be done any time. How: reduction and thinning cuts back to side branches, to AS 4373. Jacarandas respond to heavy or stubbed cuts by sending out clusters of strong vertical shoots, which is why a lopped jacaranda looks like a broom within a year. How much: enough to clear the roof, the pool or the powerline and no more; councils cap permit-free pruning at 10% of the canopy in several areas, and bigger reductions are staged over two seasons.
Photos from our own jobs. Client addresses are never published.
Get a free quote
Tell us what you need done and we will call you back to arrange a look. Every job is assessed individually - no two trees are the same.
Urgent or unsafe tree? Call 0422 023 242 - we answer 24 hours.
What jacaranda work costs
Pruning, crown reduction and deadwood: $800–$4,000 ex GST to AS 4373. Removal of a 5–10 m jacaranda with the stump ground: $1,500–$4,000. Large jacaranda over 10 m, or one over the house or pool: $5,000–$25,000+. Stump grinding is $300–$900 per stump. A council application, more than one tree, or an arborist report for a development add to the total. One fixed price after we have seen the tree.
Jacaranda questions
Can I cut down a jacaranda in Sydney?
Only with a council permit once it is over your council’s size threshold, which a grown jacaranda always is. Councils accept structural problems, decline, or a genuine risk; they do not accept flower drop, leaf litter or “too big”. We lodge the application and tell you honestly whether it will get up.
Is the jacaranda a protected tree in NSW?
It is protected the way every non-exempt tree is: by your council’s tree preservation controls. There is no special jacaranda listing, and it is not a native (it comes from South America).
When is the best time to prune a jacaranda in Sydney?
Winter, when the tree is bare and before the spring flush and November flowering. Avoid heavy cuts in late spring and summer. Deadwood can come out any time.
Do jacaranda roots damage houses or pipes?
Rarely. Jacaranda roots are not among the aggressive ones, and roots only enter pipes that are already cracked. If you have lifted paving near a jacaranda, we look at it before blaming the tree.
Why does my jacaranda not flower?
Usually too much shade, too much nitrogen from lawn fertiliser, or hard pruning the previous season. A young tree can also take several years to start. Flowering is heaviest in a warm, dry spring.
Can I prune my neighbour’s jacaranda where it hangs over my yard?
Generally you may cut back to the boundary at your own cost, but the cuts still have to respect the tree and the council rules, and the neighbour can claim if the tree is harmed. See our neighbour tree rights guide.
How much does it cost to remove a jacaranda?
Most are 5–10 m: $1,500–$4,000 ex GST with the stump ground. A big one over the house is $5,000 and up. The council permit comes first.
What our clients say
Real reviews from Sydney clients, quoted from our Google profile. Long reviews are shortened; tap Read more for the full review on Google.
Reviews …Really great service, professional, safe and accommodating. Difficulties of access easily overcome, good people to deal withRead more
David G.October 2026Jimmy and the guys were excellent at their job—very fast and very tidy. I highly recommend them, and I certainly wouldn't hesitate to use them again in the future. "True Roots" are the best.
Nomikos R.October 2026Removed 4 bunches of palm nuts and tidied everything up. Great job.
Matthew K.October 2026Jimmy and his crew were fast, efficient and professional! He was so helpful in removing a tree in our yard that was a safety hazard. I highly recommend True Roots and would not hesitate to use them again if needed.
Liz B.June 2026Jimmy and his team were excellent. Fast, reliable, well-priced and impressive work. Great to see such a good, local tree removal business and arborist in Mortdale and operating in the St George area. You will not be disappointed using these guys.
Jamie D.April 2026Great service! I liked how they cleaned up after they chopped down our tree. Efficient and very competitive pricing. I would happily book them again in the future.
Celia L.April 2026Jimmy and the two men working with him were professional, hard working and efficient with their time. They removed a large bougainvillea adjacent to the pool. I was very impressed with how well they did this, especially given how thorny it…Read more
Jan B.March 2026I recently hired True Roots to remove a large gum tree from my property, and I couldn’t be more impressed with their service. From the initial consultation to the final clean-up, the team of arborists were professional, efficient, and…Read more
Joseph2025Jimmy was amazing; right from the beginning, he was informative, professional and willing to work within our budget. We could not be happier with what he has delivered for us. We removed all our side trees and replaced them with hedges and…Read more
JJ2025Highly recommend the Team from True Roots, the boys came in and removed a Black Butt that was overhanging our house. Very competitive pricing and managed to squeeze us in. The stump was ground back and all waste was removed. Very professional and skilled workers. Will definitely use them again in the future.
Ben G.2024Highly recommend! James and the boys did an amazing job cutting down a large tree in my yard. Super professional, efficient, and left everything clean and tidy. Great service, and I’m really happy with the results. Will definitely call again for any future tree work! Thanks Andrew
Andrew M.2024Qualified, insured and accountable
- AQF Level 5 arboristDiploma of Arboriculture (AHC50524), TAFE NSW, 2024. About 15 years in arboriculture.
- ISO 9001 certifiedQuality management system certified to ISO 9001.
- $20M public liabilityPlus icare workers compensation. Certificates of currency sent with every quote.
- Australian StandardsTree pruning and trimming to AS 4373, tree protection on building sites to AS 4970.
- Indigenous-ownedOwned and operated by an Indigenous director. Registered NSW Government supplier on buy.nsw.
- 5.0 on Google71 reviews, every one from a real job. Read them.
Jacaranda over the pool, the roof or the fence?
Send a photo. We tell you what the tree can take, whether council needs to approve it, and give you one fixed price.