A tornado town that replanted twice

Tree Service in Xenia, OH

Care for the trees planted after Xenia rebuilt, and for the older ones that made it through.

Free on-site estimates across Dayton and the Miami Valley
A clear written price, no lump-sum guessing
Yard left raked and cleared as agreed

Rebuilt Neighborhoods, Replanted Trees

Tree Service in Xenia has a back story most towns don't. On April 3, 1974, an F5 tornado with estimated winds of 305 mph crossed the city. It damaged or destroyed about 1,400 buildings, roughly half the town, and flattened the Windsor Park and Arrowhead subdivisions. On September 20, 2000, an F4 tornado struck again. Each time, homes were rebuilt and yards replanted, so many of the trees in Xenia now are about 25 to 50 years old, planted by owners starting over.

Why the age of those trees matters

Fast-growing trees were popular choices for new yards in that era across the Midwest: silver maple, ornamental pear, green ash, honeylocust. Decades on, silver maples are large with heavy, brittle limbs; ornamental pears tend to split apart at the crotch; green ash have been killed by emerald ash borer across Ohio. If your yard in one of the rebuilt neighborhoods has one of these, it is reaching the age when problems show.

The county seat and its older streets

Xenia was founded in 1803 at the forks of the Shawnee creeks and is the county seat of Greene County. The streets around downtown that escaped the worst of 1974 have older trees and older houses closer together. Work there tends to be careful pruning and sectional removal. Near Shawnee Creek, check for exposed roots and undercut banks.

A trail town

Xenia calls itself the Bicycle Capital of the Midwest. At Xenia Station, the Little Miami Scenic Trail meets the Creekside and Prairie Grass Trails. If your property backs onto a trail corridor, overhanging branches and leaning trees can affect trail users. It's worth keeping dead limbs and leaning trees on your side of the line in check.

Typical jobs in Xenia

Reducing or removing aging silver maples over houses
Removing split ornamental pears
Taking down dead ash and grinding the stumps
Pruning younger trees planted after 2000 so they grow a single strong trunk
Storm cleanup after summer thunderstorms

Call (937) 884-1695 or fill out the form. We leave a written estimate, and the price on it is the price. Get a free estimate

After a storm in Xenia

If a storm drops a tree or a big limb, stay clear of any wires it touches and report downed lines to the electric utility before anything else. Then take photos for insurance. When you call (937) 884-1695, tell us whether the tree is on the house, a car or the ground, and whether anyone is blocked in. We cut what is on structures first, in a controlled way so nothing shifts, and finish the yard cleanup and stump work after that.

Xenia Background

April 3, 1974. The F5 Xenia tornado had estimated peak winds of 305 mph, killed 32 people directly (34 including a later related fire), and damaged or destroyed about 1,400 buildings, roughly half the town.
September 20, 2000. An F4 tornado struck Xenia again in 2000, killing one person and injuring 100.
County seat since 1803. Xenia was founded in 1803 at the forks of the Shawnee creeks and is the county seat of Greene County; the 2020 census counted 25,441 residents and 11,422 housing units.
Owners and values. Census QuickFacts lists a 60.9% owner-occupied rate and a $162,400 median owner-occupied home value (2020-2024), with 20.4% of residents 65 or older.

Our Services in Xenia, OH

Xenia Questions

My ornamental pear split in half. Can it be saved?

Usually not. Pears with tight crotches tend to keep splitting once they start. Removing it and replanting with a sturdier species is usually the better long-term choice.

Is a 50-year-old silver maple a hazard?

Not by age alone. Silver maples become a concern when they have decay, cracks at the main unions or large limbs over a house. A reduction pruning can lower the risk on many of them.

Can you work on trees along the bike trail?

We work on trees on your property. If a tree is on public trail land, the agency that manages the trail has to approve any work. We can tell you which side of the line a tree appears to be on.

Should I replant after removing a tree?

In most yards, yes. Shade lowers summer cooling needs and a tree adds value to the lot. Choose a species that suits the spot at full size, and plant it far enough from the house and lines that it won't need heavy pruning later.

Do you work in Xenia Township and the rural roads outside the city?

Yes. We work in the city and in the surrounding Greene County townships, including larger rural lots where hedgerow and woodlot trees need attention.

Free Estimates in Xenia, OH

Free estimates in Xenia, from downtown to the rebuilt subdivisions.

Call (937) 884-1695 Free Estimate