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Have Faith Trees — tree service in St. Augustine, FL
Call for a free quote — +1 (208) 635-2100
Have Faith Trees crew removing a large oak at a home in St. Augustine, Florida

Rated 5.0 from 47 Google reviews in St. Johns County

Tree Service in St. Augustine, FL — Done Right the First Time

Licensed and insured tree removal, trimming, stump grinding, and 24/7 storm work from a locally owned crew based right here on Domenico Circle. Free estimates, honest assessments, and a yard cleaner than we found it.

Call +1 (208) 635-2100Get Your Free Quote
  • 8+ years in Northeast Florida
  • Licensed & fully insured
  • Free on-site estimates
  • Same-day emergency response
Years serving Northeast Florida
8+Years serving Northeast Florida
Five-star Google reviews
47Five-star Google reviews
Storm & emergency response
24/7Storm & emergency response
Licensed & Fully InsuredLiability and workers’ comp on every job
47 Five-Star Google ReviewsRated 5.0 by St. Augustine neighbors
Free On-Site EstimatesOwner walks your property, no pressure
24/7 Storm ResponseHurricane and emergency crews on call

Our Services

Complete tree care for Northeast Florida properties

Twelve services covering everything from a single palm trim to a hazard oak over your roof — plus the permit paperwork most companies leave to you.

View all services

Why Have Faith Trees

What makes us different from the other trucks in your neighborhood

Tree work is one of the least regulated home services in Florida, which means the range of quality is enormous. Here is what you actually get with us.

  • The owner does every estimate

    Robert walks your property himself — no commissioned salesperson, no upselling script. You get his actual opinion on what your trees need.

  • Honest about what can be saved

    Customers regularly tell us another company condemned a tree we then pruned and kept. If your tree does not need to come down, you will hear that first.

  • We handle the permit paperwork

    St. Augustine and St. Johns County both regulate tree removal. We check your parcel, document the tree, and file the application — you do not chase county forms.

  • Cleanup people write reviews about

    Brush chipped, wood hauled, driveway and porch blown clean. Half our Google reviews mention the cleanup, and that is not an accident.

  • 24/7 storm response

    Hurricane season on the First Coast means saturated sand and sudden failures. We answer the phone during storms, and we triage honestly.

  • Coastal tree knowledge

    Laurel oak decay, ganoderma in palms, laurel wilt in redbay, salt burn after surge. We know what actually goes wrong with trees on this stretch of coast.

  • Preservation first, and nothing wasted

    We save the trees that can be saved, replant with species that belong here, and put the wood to use — chips spread as mulch where you want them, firewood cut and stacked at no charge.

St. Augustine Tree Expertise

The trees on your street, and what each one actually needs

Coastal Northeast Florida grows a specific set of trees, and they fail in specific ways. This is the knowledge that separates a crew who works here from one that follows storms down I-95.

  • Southern live oak in Northeast Florida
    Prune Jan–Mar

    Southern live oak

    The tree that makes St. Augustine look like St. Augustine, and the best long-term tree you can own here. Extremely wind-firm, salt-tolerant, and capable of living for centuries. Needs very little: deadwood out, over-extended limbs reduced, and the root zone left alone. Prune late winter to early spring.

  • Laurel and water oak in Northeast Florida
    Most common removal

    Laurel & water oak

    Planted everywhere in the postwar building boom because they throw shade fast. They typically live 50 to 70 years and start hollowing well before that, which is why they account for most of the removals we do. If yours is over 40, it deserves an inspection regardless of how it looks.

  • Sabal palm (cabbage palm) in Northeast Florida
    Trim once a year

    Sabal palm (cabbage palm)

    Florida’s state tree and the toughest palm on this coast. Trim once a year — dead fronds, seed pods and loose boots off, healthy green fronds left on. Watch the trunk base for a hard reddish shelf conk: that is ganoderma butt rot, it has no treatment, and it makes the palm a falling hazard.

  • Slash and longleaf pine in Northeast Florida
    Storm-vulnerable

    Slash & longleaf pine

    Tall, shallow-rooted, and the first thing to snap in a tropical system — especially remnant pines left standing when a neighborhood was built. Pines do not respond to reduction pruning; the honest options are deadwood, clearance, or removal. Watch for pitch tubes and reddish boring dust.

  • Redbay and swamp bay in Northeast Florida
    Laurel wilt risk

    Redbay & swamp bay

    Laurel wilt, spread by the redbay ambrosia beetle, has killed these across coastal Florida. The tell is a canopy that browns out in weeks while the dead leaves stay attached, with dark streaking in the sapwood under the bark. Infected trees cannot be cured, and moving the wood spreads it.

  • Queen and Washingtonia palm in Northeast Florida
    Feeds on sandy soil

    Queen & Washingtonia palm

    Fast-growing and messy — queen palms drop heavy seed clusters onto driveways and pool decks, Washingtonias build a long dead skirt at height. Yellowing on the oldest fronds is usually a potassium deficiency in our sandy soil, not disease, and proper palm fertilizer fixes it.

When it is worth calling an arborist

Homeowners are generally bad at judging tree risk, and that is not a criticism — the signs that look alarming are often harmless, and the ones that matter are easy to miss. Any of these is worth a look.

  • A new lean, or cracked and heaved soil on the side opposite the lean
  • Conks, shelf fungus or mushrooms growing from the trunk or root flare
  • Large dead limbs in the upper canopy, or dieback starting at the branch tips
  • A split or seam opening at a fork where two trunks meet
  • Construction, trenching or a driveway pour inside the drip line in the last few years
  • Repeated limb failure after ordinary summer thunderstorms

Two that usually mean nothing: Spanish moss takes nothing from a tree, and surface roots are normal in our sand. A hollow trunk is not automatically a problem either — what matters is how much sound wood is left around it.

Book a tree health and risk assessment

Permits

We handle the paperwork so you never touch a county form

Florida tree rules are written locally, and they are genuinely confusing. Trees above a regulated trunk diameter generally need a permit before removal, protected species have stricter rules, and approvals often come with a replacement-planting condition.

The part that catches people out: a St. Augustine mailing address does not mean you are inside city limits. Large parts of 32084, 32086 and 32092 sit in unincorporated St. Johns County under a different code — and a Nocatee or World Golf Village address adds a CDD architectural review on top of both.

We check your exact parcel, measure and photograph the tree, write the arborist justification, and file the application as part of the job. If a permit is going to be denied, you will hear that at the estimate, not after we have your deposit.

How permit assistance worksAsk us about your tree
Robert Morgen, owner of Have Faith Trees, working high in a palm above A1A in St. Augustine, FL

Locally Owned & Operated

A St. Augustine crew, not a franchise with a call center

Have Faith Trees is run by Robert Morgen out of a shop on Domenico Circle in St. Augustine South. This is not a market we expanded into — it is where we live, and most of our work comes from neighbors, referrals, and people who saw the truck on their street.

That shapes how we work. Robert does every estimate himself, which is why customers keep writing that he took the time to explain what was happening with their trees instead of handing over a number and leaving. It is also why we say no to work — if a tree can be pruned and kept, we would rather do that and earn the next job.

We climb rather than spike trees we intend to keep. We prune to ANSI A300 standards, which means no topping and no hat-racking. And we do not consider a job finished until the driveway is blown clean.

  • Owner-performed estimates
  • ANSI A300 pruning standards
  • Full liability & workers’ comp
  • Debris haul-away included
More about our crew+1 (208) 635-2100

How It Works

Four steps from your first call to a clean yard

No surprises, no add-ons discovered halfway through the job, and no crew showing up without you knowing what they are doing.

  1. 01

    Free on-site estimate

    We walk the property together, look at every tree you are asking about, and talk through what needs doing now versus what can wait. You get a written price before we leave.

  2. 02

    Permits and scheduling

    If your tree is regulated, we pull the permit and document its condition. Then we book a date that works — usually within the week for routine work, same day for hazards.

  3. 03

    Careful, rigged removal

    Drop zones planned around irrigation, septic, pavers and pool cages. Tight lots get climbed and lowered piece by piece rather than dropped and hoped for.

  4. 04

    Cleanup and walk-through

    Brush chipped, wood hauled or stacked as firewood, work area raked and blown. Then we walk it with you and make sure it is finished to your satisfaction.

Hurricane-Ready Tree Care

The countdown to June 1 — what to do, and when

Almost everything we clean up in September was visible in March. Dead limbs do not become safe by waiting, and an over-extended limb does not shorten itself. This is the schedule we give our own customers.

Hurricane prep service
  1. January – February

    Structural pruning

    The best window of the year for hardwoods. Growth is slowest, canopy structure reads clearly, and crews are available before the spring rush.

  2. March

    Book the inspection

    Walk the property with us and get the hazards identified. Anything needing a county permit still has time to be approved before the season opens.

  3. April

    Reduce the weight

    Deadwood out, over-extended limbs shortened back to a lateral, cabling installed on unions worth saving. This is the single highest-value month.

  4. May

    Palms and drainage

    Dead fronds and seed pods off — those are the projectiles. Clear gutters, check that irrigation is not keeping root zones saturated, photograph the property.

  5. June 1 – Nov 30

    Monitor, do not panic-prune

    Heavy pruning in the heat stresses trees, and once a storm enters the cone every crew within a hundred miles is booked. Walk the property after each system.

One thing we will not do: top your trees. The “hurricane cut” advertised around here every spring — cutting a canopy back to stubs, or stripping a palm to a few upright fronds — makes trees more dangerous within a few years, not less. Topping triggers weakly attached water sprouts and opens the trunk to decay. Over-pruned palms lose the fronds that shield the growing bud and build a permanently narrowed trunk. Proper reduction pruning gets the same wind-load benefit without wrecking the tree.

Read the full hurricane preparation checklistWhat to check after a storm passes24/7 emergency tree service

Service Areas

Where we work across Northeast Florida

Based in St. Augustine and covering St. Johns, Flagler, southern Duval, Clay and Putnam counties. Every city below has its own page with local tree notes.

All service areas

Customer Reviews

47 five-star reviews from your neighbors

Read what people actually say about the work — particularly the honesty and the cleanup, which come up again and again.

5.047 Google reviews

  • “It’s hard to find someone this trustworthy these days.”

    Robert did an outstanding job trimming my trees! He was professional, knowledgeable, and left my yard cleaner than he found it. The quality of his work was excellent. What really set him apart was his honesty. He took the time to walk my property, point out a few other trees that will need attention in the future, and…
    David StablerGoogle review · 4 weeks ago · Tree trimming & pruning

  • “Other companies said my tree couldn’t be saved. Robert saved it.”

    Robert was amazing. He is very knowledgeable and takes time to explain to you what is going on with your trees and the best way to address problems. He took down a large dead tree that was hanging behind my house that certainly would have fallen on my house or my neighbor’s house in a high windstorm. He also trimmed a…
    Lisa MillerGoogle review · 2 months ago · Tree trimming & pruning, Tree removal

  • “Came out the next day for the estimate and scheduled us quickly.”

    I called Have Faith Trees for an estimate on removing two dead trees and trimming the others. Robert came out the next day to do the estimate and was able to get me scheduled relatively quickly. I thought he was honest and sincere and he took the time to explain the trees and make reasonable recommendations. The work w…
    EastCoastKateGoogle review · 3 months ago · Tree trimming & pruning, Tree removal

  • “Kind, knowledgeable, free estimates, and a great price.”

    I just wanted to give a shout out to this wonderful company! Have Faith Trees; owner Robert Morgen was able to remove our rotting palm tree quickly, for a great price. He’s kind, knowledgeable, gives free estimates, and was able to give us an expert opinion on the condition of our rotting palm tree. Highly recommended!…
    Loren FisherGoogle review · 5 months ago · Tree removal

  • “The results were more beautiful than expected, and good value.”

    Have Faith Trees was an excellent choice to clean up and remove/cut back trees that had not been groomed in many years and were a huge eye sore. Owner Rob met with us in advance to explain the scope of work and clean up. The results were more beautiful than expected, and good value. Recommend Have Faith Trees LLC with…
    Patricia SchurmanGoogle review · 2 months ago · Tree trimming & pruning, Tree removal

  • “They skillfully dropped a large tree in our yard.”

    Excellent, prompt and friendly from the estimate to the completion of the job. Pricing was highly competitive and their expertise was evident as they skillfully dropped a large tree in our yard. Have Faith Trees is a pleasure to work with and we will certainly call them for any future needs.
    Kathleen SummaGoogle review · 7 months ago · Tree trimming & pruning, Tree removal

  • “My palms and oak trees look great for the holidays.”

    Robert was very professional. Provided a quote and we went over all the details of what I wanted to have done and his recommendations. When the job was completed, he and I walked around and he asked if it was completed to my satisfaction. They cleaned and raked up all debris and hauled it away! My palms and oak trees l…
    Elizabeth BinningerGoogle review · 7 months ago · Tree trimming & pruning

  • “Second time using them, two years apart — both excellent.”

    This was the second time I’ve used them — two years apart — and both experiences were excellent. He was very responsive, communicated clearly, and did a fantastic job with my palms on both occasions. He even went the extra mile by blowing off my porch area and driveway afterward. I will absolutely continue to use them…
    Missy CroweGoogle review · 5 months ago · Tree trimming & pruning

  • “Quick, fair quote and the palms look great.”

    Great experience from start to finish. He returned my messages right away, provided a quick and fair quote, and came out just a few days later to get the job done. The work was fast, professional, and my palm trees look great. Very affordable pricing too. I’d definitely recommend!
    Zachery MartinGoogle review · 5 months ago · Tree trimming & pruning

  • “Did a great job trimming the trees throughout our subdivision.”

    Great prices. The crew was friendly and professional. Did an excellent job trimming my tree and an excellent job cleaning up. Did a great job trimming the trees throughout our subdivision.
    Maggie MjeldeGoogle review · 2 months ago · Tree trimming & pruning

  • “Clean up went beyond expected.”

    Great service & value. Clean up went beyond expected. Quality work and friendly approach.
    Izzy HepburnGoogle review · a month ago · Tree removal

  • “Worked around everything in the yard with great expertise.”

    Skilled, courteous, and quick tree removal at a good price! Worked around stuff in the yard with great expertise while employing good safety practice.
    Have Faith Trees customerGoogle review · 7 months ago · Tree removal
Read all reviewsSee us on Google

From the Blog

Straight answers about Florida trees

Cost guides, permit rules, hurricane prep and species care — written from what we actually see on properties here, not generic advice.

All articles

Get In Touch

Free estimates across St. Johns County

Call us or send the form and we will get back to you the same day. If it is an emergency, please call — that is always faster.

Visit / mail

600 Domenico Cir
St. Augustine, FL 32086

Get directions

Hours

  • Mon – Fri: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • Saturday: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Sunday: Emergency calls only

Storm and emergency tree calls answered 24/7.

Get Your Free Estimate

Tell us about your trees and we’ll get back to you the same day. No pressure, no obligation.

47 five-star reviewsLicensed & insuredFree on-site estimates

Compare Services

What each service includes, and what drives your price

We do not publish flat prices, because an honest tree quote depends on the tree in front of us — a 60-foot oak in an open pasture and the same oak wedged between two houses are two different days of work. What we can tell you up front is exactly what is included and what we are weighing when we quote.

Comparison of Have Faith Trees services in St. Augustine, FL — what is included, typical timeline, and the factors that determine price
ServiceWhat’s includedTypical timelineWhat drives the price
Tree Trimming & PruningDeadwood removal, canopy thinning, clearance from roof and drive, reduction back to laterals. ANSI A300 standards — no topping.Most single-tree trims are a same-day jobTree size, number of trees, climb vs. bucket access, debris volume
Tree RemovalSite assessment, permit application, rigged sectional removal, full debris haul-away, work area raked and blown clean.Usually scheduled within a week; same day for hazardsHeight and trunk diameter, access to the drop zone, proximity to structures, tree condition
Stump GrindingUtility locate, grinding 6–12 inches below grade, root flare chased out, chips hauled, left as mulch, or spread where you want them.Same visit as the removal, or a half-day on its ownStump diameter, grinding depth needed, root flare spread, gate access
Emergency & Storm ResponseMake-safe and load relief, tarping where the roof is opened, dated photographs for your adjuster, itemized scope, full cleanup.24/7 during storm events; triaged by severityTime of day, structural involvement, proximity to power lines, debris volume
Tree Health & Risk AssessmentRoot collar, trunk, union and canopy inspection, target assessment, written findings with photos you can hand to a permit office or insurer.Half an hour to a couple of hours per propertyNumber of trees, depth of report, root collar excavation, aerial inspection

Every estimate is free, on site, and written down before any work starts — and bundling saves real money, because mobilization is a fixed cost. Three trees on one visit costs far less than three separate call-outs. See what actually drives tree removal cost in St. Augustine, or browse all 12 services.

Tree service questions we get every week

If your question is not here, call us — we are happy to talk it through before you commit to anything.

How much does tree service cost in St. Augustine?
It depends entirely on the tree — height, trunk diameter, how close it is to your house or power lines, and how much debris comes out of it. A small palm trim is a modest flat rate; a mature oak that has to be climbed and rigged over a roof is a full-day job for a crew. We give free, written, on-site estimates rather than phone guesses, because phone guesses are how people end up surprised.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes — general liability and workers’ compensation, and we will provide a certificate of insurance on request before any work starts. This matters more than people realize: if an uninsured crew member is hurt on your property, or an uninsured company drops a limb through your roof, the exposure lands on your homeowners policy.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in St. Augustine?
Often, yes. The City of St. Augustine and St. Johns County both regulate removal of trees above certain trunk diameters, and protected species have stricter rules. Dead and hazardous trees are usually treated differently. We check your specific address and handle the permit application as part of the job.
Do you offer free estimates?
Always. Robert comes out, walks the property with you, and gives you a written price. There is no charge and no obligation, and you will get an honest opinion about which trees actually need work — including the ones that do not.
How fast can you respond to an emergency?
For an active hazard — a tree on a structure, an uprooted tree, or a limb hung up over a walkway — we get out same day whenever we can. During a widespread storm event we triage by severity and give you a realistic call-back time rather than a promise we cannot keep.
Do you clean up and haul away the debris?
Yes, and it is included unless you tell us otherwise. Brush gets chipped, wood gets hauled, and the work area is raked and blown clean before we leave. If you want the firewood cut and stacked or the chips left for mulch, just say so at the estimate.
What areas do you serve?
St. Augustine and all of St. Johns County, plus Flagler County, southern Duval County including Mandarin and the Jacksonville beaches, and parts of Clay and Putnam counties. If you are not sure whether you are in range, call and ask.
When is the best time to trim trees in Florida?
January through March is the window for structural work on most hardwoods here — growth is slowest, the canopy structure is easiest to read, and decay fungi are least active. Palms are usually serviced in spring. Deadwood can come out any time of year and should, because a dead limb does not get safer by waiting. Aim to have everything finished before June 1, when hurricane season starts and every crew in the county gets booked.
How do I know if my tree is diseased?
The signs worth acting on are a canopy section that wilts while the leaves stay attached, conks or mushrooms growing from the trunk or root flare, fine sawdust-like frass or toothpick-shaped strands on the bark, dieback that starts at the branch tips and works inward, and frizzled or discolored new growth on palms. Plenty of trees that look sick are simply stressed — compacted soil, a buried root flare, or daily lawn irrigation are the usual culprits, and all three are fixable. We diagnose before recommending any treatment.
Can you help me choose what to plant after a removal?
Yes, and it is worth asking. Southern live oak, southern magnolia, bald cypress on wet ground, longleaf pine, and sabal palm all handle our sand, salt, and wind. Fast-growing water and laurel oaks are what most of our removal work is, so we steer people away from planting more of them. If a permit requires replacement planting, we will walk you through the acceptable species and sizes so you plant something that actually survives.
Will you tell me if a tree does not need to come down?
That is one of the things customers mention most in our reviews. Plenty of trees we are called to remove just need pruning, a support cable, or a soil and irrigation fix. We would rather give you the honest answer and earn the next job than sell you a removal you did not need.

Get your free tree estimate today

Same-week scheduling across St. Augustine and St. Johns County, 24/7 response during storm season, and an honest answer about whether your tree needs the work at all.

  • 47 five-star reviews
  • Licensed & insured
  • 24/7 storm response
+1 (208) 635-2100Get Free Estimate
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47 five-star reviews · Licensed & insured · Free estimates