Wilson County seat, nicknamed Cedar City

Tree Service in Lebanon, TN

Red cedars, thin soil over limestone, and fast growth on the south side of town.

We price jobs standing in your yard, anywhere in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County
Written estimate with each job priced separately
Chips, logs and brush plan made at the estimate

Why Lebanon Is Full of Cedars

Lebanon was named for the biblical cedars of Lebanon, and locals still call it Cedar City because of the eastern red cedars (Juniperus virginiana) that grow everywhere here. Tree Service in Lebanon reflects that. A good share of the work is cedars: overgrown windbreaks next to houses, cedars swallowing fence lines, and big old cedars with dead lower limbs that have become a fire and safety concern near homes.

Thin soil, rock and cedar glades

Cedars do well around Lebanon for a reason. The area sits on limestone that is close to the surface in many places, and where the rock is nearest, cedar glades form: open, rocky ground with very thin soil, ringed by red cedar thickets that give way to oak-hickory forest where soil gets deeper. About 10 miles south of town, Cedars of Lebanon State Park (900 acres within a 9,420-acre state forest) protects some of the best of them. In the 1930s, farmers on the eroded cedar flats there were struggling with thin, worn-out soil; a New Deal resettlement program moved them off the land, and Works Progress Administration crews planted thousands of red cedar seedlings. The forest is largely karst, with sinkholes, underground streams and caves.

For yard trees, thin soil over rock means shallow roots. Large oaks and hackberries growing on a few feet of soil can uproot in saturated ground and strong wind rather than breaking. When we assess a big tree here, we look at the rock around it as closely as the crown.

The 2020 tornado's path through southern Lebanon

On March 3, 2020, after the EF3 tornado devastated Mt. Juliet, it weakened to EF2 as it crossed Highway 109 into Lebanon and moved through the southern part of the city, damaging dozens of homes and businesses before crossing I-40 near Tuckers Crossroads. Trees in that area that survived with broken tops or torn roots are worth checking, and the replanted trees are now at the right age for a structural prune.

Cedar removal near homes

Red cedar is resinous, holds dead branches for years and burns hot. Cedars right against a house or deck are a common removal request. Cedar wood is aromatic and rot-resistant, and some owners want the logs kept for posts or projects. Tell us before we cut and we will leave usable lengths. Otherwise we chip it; cedar mulch is fine for paths and beds.

A growing city

Lebanon had 38,431 residents at the 2020 census and an estimated 53,412 in 2025. Census QuickFacts lists an owner-occupied rate of 62.4% and a median owner-occupied value of $378,400. New subdivisions on former cedar and pasture land often keep a few mature trees; how they were protected during construction determines whether they live.

Call (615) 558-8730 or use the form, and let us know if the trees are cedars, hardwoods or both. Get a free estimate

Lebanon Trees and Terrain

Cedar City. Lebanon was named for the biblical cedars of Lebanon and is nicknamed Cedar City for its abundant eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana.
State forest to the south. Cedars of Lebanon State Park covers 900 acres within the 9,420-acre Cedars of Lebanon State Forest, about 10 miles south of the city, and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1973.
Glade soils. Cedar glades form where limestone lies at or near the surface; growth in Nashville, Murfreesboro and Lebanon has destroyed many of them.
2020 tornado. The March 3, 2020 tornado weakened to EF2 after crossing Highway 109 and damaged dozens of homes and businesses in southern Lebanon.
Rapid growth. Lebanon grew from 38,431 residents in 2020 to an estimated 53,412 in 2025, with a 62.4% owner-occupied rate.

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Lebanon Questions

Should I remove the cedars right next to my house?

Often, yes. Red cedars hold dead branches and resin and can rub siding and roofs. If they are healthy and you like the screen, we can raise and clean them instead, but cedars touching the house are usually better removed.

Why do trees here seem to tip over instead of breaking?

Much of the Lebanon area has thin soil over limestone. Roots spread wide and shallow, so when the ground is soaked and the wind is strong, the whole root plate can lift.

Can you save the cedar logs for me?

Yes. Tell us before the job, and we will cut straight sections to the length you want and leave them where you can load them.

Are cedar glade plants on my property protected?

Rare glade plants are protected on state natural areas and in parks like Cedars of Lebanon, but most of the cedars in Lebanon yards are ordinary eastern red cedar. If you think you have an open, rocky glade on your land, it is worth keeping heavy equipment off it, since the thin soil is easily damaged.

Free Estimates in Lebanon, TN

Free estimates across Lebanon and western Wilson County.

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