City of Pasadena Protected Tree List

The City of Pasadena protects four kinds of private trees: 13 native species once the trunk is more than 8 inches across, specimen trees on a City list, landmark trees, and, except on single-family and RM-12 lots, any tree 19 inches or more. On single-family lots, natives and specimens are protected only in the front yard, required side and rear yards and the corner yard. Here's the list, checked against Municipal Code Chapter 8.52.

The 13 native species on the City of Pasadena protected tree list

Pasadena's protected native trees are 13 species, protected once the trunk is more than 8 inches in diameter 4.5 feet above natural grade (section 8.52.020 P):

Native trees protected over 8 inches DBH

Common name	Botanical name
Coast live oak	Quercus agrifolia
Engelmann oak	Quercus engelmannii
Canyon oak	Quercus chrysolepis
Scrub oak	Quercus berberidifolia
Valley oak	Quercus lobata
California sycamore	Platanus racemosa
California walnut	Juglans californica
California bay	Umbellularia californica
California buckeye	Aesculus californica
California alder	Alnus rhombifolia
Fremont cottonwood	Populus fremontii
Black cottonwood	Populus trichocarpa
Arroyo willow	Salix lasiolepis

Swipe the table sideways to see every column →

Source: Pasadena Municipal Code 8.52.020 P.

Old coast live oak with a twisting trunk and wide canopy on a slope — An old coast live oak with a twisting trunk.

White-barked sycamore trunk and limbs against a blue sky — The pale, patchy bark of a sycamore.

Which yards count on a single-family lot

On single-family (RS) and RM-12 lots, natives and specimens are protected only in four places: the established front yard, the required side yard, the established corner yard and the required rear yard (section 8.52.025 A). The code defines the established front yard as the area between the front property line and the house, and the corner yard as the area between the side property line and the house. A native oak in the middle of a big backyard, outside the required rear setback, isn't protected by this section, though a landmark tree would be. On all other kinds of lots, natives and specimens are protected anywhere.

Specimen trees, palms included

Specimen trees are species the City Council lists by resolution, each with a minimum size, as outstanding examples of desirable species. The list is a City document (“TPO_3 Protected Tree List”). Search excerpts of it show entries such as bigleaf maple at 20 inches, trident maple and Japanese maple at 12 inches, Canary Island date palm at 20' and California fan palm at 35'. We could only read excerpts, so check the full list with the City for your species; for palms, see palm tree removal.

Crown of a Canary Island date palm with orange fruit stalks against a blue sky — The heavy crown of a Canary Island date palm, fruit stalks hanging below the fronds.

Landmark and mature trees

Landmark trees

A landmark tree is designated under Chapter 17.62 for historic or cultural significance: one of the largest or oldest of its species in the city, tied to a historic building, site, street, person or event, or a defining feature of a neighborhood. Anyone can nominate a tree to the Historic Preservation Commission, and a tree that meets the criteria (landmark-eligible) is protected too. Landmark trees are protected anywhere on any lot, and even pruning one needs a permit.

Mature trees

Any otherwise unprotected tree with a trunk of 19 inches or more is a mature tree, protected in every zone except properties under single-family (RS) or RM-12 standards. So the 19 inch rule matters for apartments, commercial and institutional lots, not for most houses.

How to measure your tree

Measure 4.5 feet up the trunk from the ground, on the uphill side if the ground slopes
Wrap a tape around the trunk and divide the circumference by 3.14 to get the diameter
A native counts when the result is more than 8 inches; the mature rule starts at 19 inches
If the tree forks below 4.5 feet, measure each trunk and combine the trunk areas, not the diameters

Diagram showing a trunk measured 4.5 feet up on the uphill side, with Pasadena's 8 inch native and 19 inch mature thresholds — How Pasadena measures a trunk, and the two size thresholds in Chapter 8.52.

What protection means

A protected tree can't be removed or injured without a permit; see the Pasadena tree removal permit guide for the process, fees and penalties. Pruning that doesn't injure a native or specimen tree needs no permit; see oak tree trimming. For a protected oak that has to go, see oak tree removal, and for sycamores under attack, the shot hole borer guide. Street trees are protected separately and are City-only; see Pasadena street trees. In Altadena, County oak rules apply instead; see tree removal in Altadena. For everything unprotected, tree removal in Pasadena.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Pasadena Protected Trees: Questions

The pale, patchy bark of a sycamore.

Which trees are protected in Pasadena?

Four groups under Municipal Code Chapter 8.52: 13 native species with trunks over 8 inches, specimen trees on the City's list at their listed sizes, landmark and landmark-eligible trees, and mature trees of 19 inches or more (except on single-family and RM-12 lots). Public street trees are protected too.

Is a coast live oak protected in Pasadena?

Yes, once its trunk is more than 8 inches across at 4.5 feet. On a single-family lot it's protected in the established front yard, required side yard, corner yard or required rear yard; on other kinds of lots, anywhere.

Are palm trees protected in Pasadena?

Some may be. Search excerpts of the City's specimen tree list show Canary Island date palm (listed at 20') and California fan palm (35'). The unit looks like feet of height but we couldn't confirm it, so check the list with Pasadena Planning before removing a large one in a protected yard area.

Is my backyard tree protected?

On a single-family lot, a native or specimen tree is protected in the required rear yard (the rear setback) but not in the rest of the backyard. Landmark trees are protected anywhere. Setbacks vary by lot, so confirm with Planning if the tree is near the line.

How do I measure a tree for Pasadena's rules?

Measure the trunk diameter 4.5 feet above the ground on the uphill side. With a tape measure, take the circumference and divide by 3.14. For a tree that forks below 4.5 feet, measure each trunk and combine their areas.

What is a landmark tree in Pasadena?

A tree designated under Chapter 17.62 for its historic or cultural significance: one of the largest or oldest of its species in the city, associated with a historic building, site, street, person or event, or a defining feature of a neighborhood. Anyone can nominate one to the Historic Preservation Commission.