About us: Sac Tree Quotes is a free referral service that connects Sacramento-area homeowners with independent local tree professionals. We are not a tree contractor and do not perform tree work, and we may be paid by the pros we refer.
Many older lots around Sacramento still have a big black walnut in the back yard. They throw deep summer shade, but they drop nuts and husks every fall, keep many plants from growing underneath, and can decline from a beetle-spread disease that UC says is killing walnut trees in California. Here's what UC sources say, when removal makes sense, the permit rules around Sacramento, and typical costs.
The Northern California black walnut (Juglans hindsii) is a native tree. The Sacramento Tree Foundation – Native trees page lists it among the native trees common in the Sacramento area, alongside California sycamore, Fremont cottonwood, and Oregon ash. The UC Master Gardeners of Solano County – Northern California Black Walnut Companion Plants article explains that California has two black walnut species: Juglans californica in southern California and J. hindsii, native to northern California and Oregon.
A UC Master Gardeners of San Luis Obispo County – Black Walnut profile describes it as a 30- to 60-foot tree with a short, bulky black trunk, often bare of branches for the first 10 to 40 feet, and a crown that can span 60 feet. It notes that the tree has a large taproot, and that J. hindsii has been a commercially important rootstock for English walnut because of its nematode resistance and drought tolerance. UC Cooperative Extension Sacramento County's UC Cooperative Extension Sacramento County – Sacramento Area Landscape Trees (PDF) chart adds a spread of 40 to 70 feet and notes that it does poorly in lawns and that other plants don't do well underneath it.
Not every "black walnut" in a Sacramento yard is pure J. hindsii. UC IPM's walnut pages refer to both Northern California black walnut and Paradox (a hybrid) as rootstocks for English walnut, so some yard trees may be hybrids or old orchard rootstock. For removal purposes the questions are mostly the same — but if your city protects California black walnut, identification can matter. Ask an ISA Certified Arborist.
The fungus is carried by the walnut twig beetle (Pityophthorus juglandis), a reddish-brown bark beetle about 1/16 inch long. UC IPM – Walnut Twig Beetle explains that the beetles bore into the phloem of branches and trunks, carry fungal spores on their bodies, and attack in large numbers, so many small cankers form and eventually merge, girdling branches and main limbs. UC says the beetle is present throughout California walnut orchards and in black walnut trees growing in windbreaks and riparian areas, and that it flies nearly year-round in California.
Signs UC lists include:
UC says colonization is a progressive process that can take many years, that trees which are over- or under-watered or have root disease or mistletoe may decline faster. The hard part: UC says that once a tree becomes infested, no control is available, and no insecticides have been shown to reduce mortality of infested trees. Its orchard guidance is to prevent tree stress through proper irrigation, and to remove trees with less than 50% live crown.
Nut drop and husk stains are nuisances, not hazards. A healthy walnut may only need deadwood removal and clearance pruning. See tree removal vs. trimming: how to decide and tree trimming cost.
Homeowners often ask whether they can sell or keep walnut logs. If the tree has thousand cankers disease, UC IPM's advice is firm: take down infested trees and grind or burn (where allowed) on site, and don't move or ship freshly cut walnut branches, logs, or burls from infested areas — not even for woodworking — because the beetles are tiny and hard to detect. UC adds that beetles can survive in dry walnut wood and emerge later, that seasoning wood on site for 2 to 3 years should allow them to leave, and that it's still best to have wood inspected by a knowledgeable entomologist or Cooperative Extension advisor before moving it. Penn State Extension also advises against using walnut wood, bark, hulls, or leaves as landscape mulch.
Penn State Extension – Landscaping and Gardening Around Walnuts explains that juglone is concentrated in the buds, leaves, stems, nut hulls, and roots, and that decaying roots of a removed tree can still release it — so toxicity may persist for years after removal, and it advises against being impatient about replanting sensitive plants. Penn State adds that well-drained, aerated soil with a healthy population of microbes can speed the breakdown of juglone. The Solano Master Gardener article lists juglone-tolerant natives such as Douglas iris, native grasses and sedges, California poppy, and native willows if you're keeping a walnut and planting nearby.
Other areas: City of Sacramento · unincorporated Sacramento County · Elk Grove · Roseville · Folsom · Citrus Heights · Rancho Cordova · West Sacramento · Davis. Measure the trunk at 4.5 feet (circumference ÷ 3.14) before you call.
We didn't find a reliable published price specific to black walnuts, so the best guide is height. These are national published ranges (estimates, not quotes) used across this site; Sacramento-area labor often runs above national averages:
| Height | Angi | HomeGuide |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 ft | $150–$450 | $200–$500 |
| 30–60 ft | $450–$1,200 | $500–$1,500 |
| 60–80 ft | $800–$1,500 | $850–$2,000 |
| Over 80 ft | $1,000–$2,000 | $1,200–$2,500+ |
Angi puts the national average around $750, and HomeGuide lists an $850 average. A wide crown over a roof, limited access, or wires can push a quote higher; Angi says hard-to-reach or unsafe locations often add 25%–50%, and HomeGuide notes that dead, diseased, or damaged trees can cost more because brittle branches can fall unexpectedly. Add-ons often priced separately include stump removal (Angi: around $100–$150 per stump), cleanup and haul-off (about $70–$95), and a permit where required (around $60–$150). See tree removal cost by tree size and tree removal cost in Sacramento.
The Solano Master Gardener article notes that black walnuts rapidly develop a deep taproot and will sprout from the base. Plan for sprouts if the stump is left, and ask each bidder how deep they'll grind and whether they'll grind major surface roots. Stump grinding requires an 811 ticket before digging. See stump grinding cost.
Tree removal and most pruning of trees 15 feet or taller generally requires a CSLB license under Business and Professions Code § 7026.1 (C-49 Tree and Palm Contractor). For a large walnut, ask how the crew will rig and lower heavy limbs, how they'll protect structures underneath, and what they'll do with the wood. In spring and summer, ask the crew to check for active nests first (Fish and Game Code § 3503). See how to hire a tree service and how to prepare for removal day. If you're replanting, the Sacramento Tree Foundation offers free siting consultations and up to 10 free shade trees to eligible properties through its SMUD partnership (Sacramento Tree Foundation – Growing a resilient urban forest). Other species guides: cedar, olive, oak, pine, redwood, eucalyptus, sycamore, cottonwood, sweetgum, ash, elm, fruitless mulberry, and ornamental pear.
It depends on the city. Elk Grove lists California black walnut 6 inches or more in diameter as a "tree of local importance," though the code exempts work on existing home lots that isn't part of a development project unless the tree is a secured tree, a landmark tree, or in the right-of-way. The City of Sacramento's native protected list covers oaks, California sycamore, and California buckeye, so a black walnut on a single-family or duplex lot is a private protected tree there only at 32 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet. Public trees need a permit almost everywhere.
One possibility is thousand cankers disease, spread by the tiny walnut twig beetle. UC IPM says decline generally begins in the crown and moves downward, with many small dark cankers and push-pin-sized holes in the bark, and that colonization can take many years. Drought, root disease, and other problems can look similar, so have an ISA Certified Arborist inspect the tree before deciding.
Be careful if the tree has thousand cankers disease. UC IPM advises against moving freshly cut walnut branches, logs, or burls from infested areas — even for woodworking — and recommends having wood inspected by an entomologist or Cooperative Extension advisor before moving it.
Eventually, but not always right away. Black walnuts produce juglone, a compound in the roots, buds, leaves, and nut hulls that inhibits sensitive plants. Penn State Extension notes that decaying roots of a removed tree can keep releasing juglone and that toxicity may persist for years, so it advises patience before replanting sensitive plants and avoiding mulch made from walnut wood, bark, hulls, or leaves.
We didn't find a reliable published price specific to black walnuts, so height is the best guide. UC lists California black walnut at 30 to 60 feet, which falls in these national published ranges (Angi and HomeGuide): about $450–$1,500 for 30–60 feet and $800–$2,000 for 60–80 feet. A broad crown over a roof, limited access, stump grinding, and haul-off can add to the price.
We don't do tree work ourselves. Tell us about your tree and we'll connect you with independent local tree professionals so you can compare written quotes. Always verify the contractor's license and insurance at cslb.ca.gov.
Tree removal costs by area: Sacramento · Elk Grove · Roseville · Folsom · Citrus Heights · Rancho Cordova · Carmichael · West Sacramento · Davis · Natomas · Antelope · Fair Oaks
More guides: Stump grinding cost · Emergency/storm removal · Tree trimming cost · Palm tree removal · Tree permits · Tree fell on house: insurance · Neighbor & boundary trees · Oak tree removal · Dead/hazardous trees · Trees near power lines · Roots, sewers & foundations · Elk Grove permits · Roseville permits · Folsom permits · Citrus Heights permits · Rancho Cordova permits · Sacramento County permits · Davis permits · West Sacramento permits · Hiring a tree service · After a storm · Pine tree removal · When to trim · Defensible space · Landlords, tenants & HOAs · Trees & solar panels · Remove or trim? · Preparing for removal day · Eucalyptus removal · Crane removal cost · Tree removal in an HOA · Arborist reports for permits · Street trees: who's responsible · Sycamore removal · Sweetgum removal · Ash tree removal · Elm tree removal · Fruitless mulberry removal · Leaning trees · Removal cost by tree size · Redwood removal · Cottonwood removal · Ornamental pear removal · Black walnut removal · Cedar removal · Olive removal