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Is my concolor fir (white fir) safe in a storm?

Answered for Greenwood, Johnson County.

Median year built is 1996 across 27,721 housing units (ACS 2019-2023, tables B25034/B25035). About 27% predates 1980 — including a small pre-1940 Old Town core — but roughly 42% went up after 2000. The practical result: 70-to-90-year-old shade trees hanging over Old Town roofs, and 10-to-20-year-old nursery stock in the subdivisions east of I-65. That's the thing that decides what a concolor fir (white fir) here is likely to be — a mature specimen over a roofline, or nursery stock still establishing. Removing a concolor fir (white fir) around Greenwood runs roughly $250–$1,400, and in Old Town Greenwood, Green Valley and Imperial Hills access is usually what decides where in that range you land.

What's actually growing in Greenwood

Two separate canopies in one city. The pre-1960 blocks around Old Town and near County Line Road hold Greenwood's only genuinely mature shade trees — just 9% of the housing stock predates 1960 — while the subdivisions east of I-65 are 2000s-era plantings still small enough to prune off a ladder. Ash is functionally gone: emerald ash borer has been confirmed in Indiana since April 2004 and is now in all 92 counties.

Greenwood's housing stock, and what it means for tree size

Median year built is 1996 across 27,721 housing units (ACS 2019-2023, tables B25034/B25035). About 27% predates 1980 — including a small pre-1940 Old Town core — but roughly 42% went up after 2000. The practical result: 70-to-90-year-old shade trees hanging over Old Town roofs, and 10-to-20-year-old nursery stock in the subdivisions east of I-65.

What's specific to concolor fir (white fir)

The dense evergreen crown holds ice, but fir branches are flexible and the single strong leader sheds load reasonably well, so individual branch failure is not the usual outcome. The Indiana failure mode is whole-tree — a heavy evergreen crown over a shallow root plate in saturated clay goes over at the roots in a wind event — and any fir carrying a double leader from an old leader injury will split at that union under ice load.

Johnson County rules

No permit is required to remove a tree on private property in Greenwood. Tree rules in the city code are all about new development and the public way: the UDO's landscaping standards require street trees along frontage and give credit for preserving existing large-caliper trees, separate provisions restrict planting in the public way, and the Stormwater Department's Easement Encroachment Permit is required before planting any tree or shrub inside an existing drainage or utility easement. The specific UDO section numbers and planting ratios could not be verified against the live code — confirm with Planning and the Stormwater Department. Cutting down your own backyard tree needs nothing.

Crews near Greenwood

Sorted by distance
Center Grove Tree Service., photo 1 of 1

Center Grove Tree Service.

1251 U.S. Hwy 31 N, Greenwood, IN 46142

4.526
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +1

Our pear tree broke in half and was blocking part of our neighborhood road. These guys came out quickly, trimmed the fallen branch down and removed…

Steve Sewell · 4 years ago · Google
Black Cherry Tree Service, photo 1 of 3

Black Cherry Tree Service

4035 E Stop 11 Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46237

4.894
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +2

They were 1 of 3 tree companies (highly regarded) I called for estimates after a storm took down a huge limb in our backyard. 1 never called back, 1…

Wendy Foley · 3 years ago · Google
Airbourne Tree Service Inc., photo 1 of 3

Airbourne Tree Service Inc.

8909 Chitwood Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46227

4.932
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +2

If you need a fast, reliable, and AFFORDABLE tree services, I highly recommend speaking with Paul at Airbourne Tree Services. Paul came and gave me a…

Desiree Kirk · a year ago · Google
Jimmy's Tree Service, photo 1 of 2Photo author: Dena Marks

Jimmy's Tree Service

597 Shady Brook Hts, Greenwood, IN 46142

4.115
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +2

I had a tree blow over and hired Jimmy’s crew to cut it up and haul it away. I was expecting to have to do clean up after the job, but I came home to…

Tim Doyle · 3 months ago · Google
Engledow Tree Experts LLC, photo 1 of 3

Engledow Tree Experts LLC

325 E Banta Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46227

4.9172
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +2

Highly recommend! My home unfortunately came with an invasive mulberry tree that was only inches from my roof corner; due to location and species it…

Stacey Windhorst · 2 years ago · Google
McDaniel’s Tree Service, photo 1 of 3

McDaniel’s Tree Service

5741 Gallagher Dr, Greenwood, IN 46142

4.640
  • Tree Removal
  • Tree Trimming
  • Stump Grinding
  • +1

McDaniels Tree Service did an excellent job on a recent work order for tree removal. Their crew arrived on time, worked efficiently, and handled the…

Carl Schwander · 5 months ago · Google

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