Something is running down my trunk — sap, or dark wet streaks in Indianapolis

What is coming out tells you most of it. A wet, dark, slimy streak running down from a crack, an old pruning wound, or a branch crotch, drying gray or tan, sometimes smelling sour or fermented, with flies and wasps working it. White or tan foam bubbling out of the bark in hot weather. Clear sticky sap or amber blobs, especially with sawdust-like frass or a hole at the center. Dark rusty, oily-looking streaks running down from a sunken area of bark, where cutting the bark shows reddish-brown discolored tissue underneath. Note the location too: from the root flare, from a wound, or from apparently nowhere.

Within weeks

56 crews near Indianapolis · Free estimate · No obligation

Fluid leaving a trunk means internal pressure plus a path out, and what it means depends entirely on which of the above you have. Bacterial wetwood, or slime flux, is a chronic fermentation in the heartwood that builds gas pressure and pushes liquid out through any opening — unsightly, hard on the grass it runs onto, essentially untreatable, and carried by many trees for decades without decline. It is not a reason to remove a tree. Alcoholic or foamy flux is a seasonal yeast fermentation in stressed sapwood and usually passes. Sap with frass means an insect is inside. Dark bleeding from a sunken canker means an active pathogen is killing bark and cambium, and that one carries a real prognosis. Two of the four are essentially cosmetic; two are not.

What this usually costs in Indianapolis

This is normally a hazardous tree removal job, which around here runs $800 to $5,000 depending on size and access. Treat that as a range, not a quote — nobody can price it without seeing it.

What to have ready when they call

A photo with the house in frame, so they can judge the scale
Roughly how far it is from the house, the fence or the drive
Whether a truck can get into the yard
Whether there are power lines anywhere near it

Crews near Indianapolis

Sorted by distance

Where this comes from. 56 real tree services Google lists as operating here. Ratings, review counts, hours and photos are Google’s, not ours. The quote on each card is that company’s review closest to its own average — not its best one.

A1treeboyz of Indiana

1401 Lindley Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46241

No Google reviews yet

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Emergency Tree Service
+1

Listed on Google but not yet reviewed there. Ask them for recent local references when they call.
Listed direct: (317) 513-2407

4 Seasons Tree Service LLC

1360 E 30th St, Indianapolis, IN 46205

5.040

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+2

“I had asked multiple tree companies to remove a partially fallen Ash tree that was lodged in between an adjacent tree. No company would touch it…”
Jeff C. Indianapolis · 4 months ago · Google

Photo author: Jessica Muldoon

Dave's Tree and Lawn

1138 S Drexel Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203

4.916

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+1

“Dave and his friendly crew cut down 4 trees, trimmed/thinned 7 more in 2 days! Great communication, quick response time, great price compared to…”
Jon Caudle · a month ago · Google

Lulos Tree Service, Llc

820 S Roena St, Indianapolis, IN 46241

5.015

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+2

“Once again, Benito and his crew went above and beyond! We have used them twice for both tree removals and trimming/shaping. They are so professional…”
Jenny Rollins · 2 years ago · Google

Nova Tree Care

4180 N Keystone Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46205

5.0193

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+3

“We are absolutely thrilled with the work Brad and Nova Tree Care did on 3 of our backyard trees. Probably the best experience, and price, we’ve had…”
Kathryn DeCloedt · 3 months ago · Google

A Tree's Worth Tree Care

2213 E 45th St, Indianapolis, IN 46205

5.0109

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+2

“I highly recommend A Tree’s Worth this company did an awesome job cutting down a large tree in my front yard. My first point of contact was with Sal…”
Jacque Green · 4 months ago · Google

Photo author: Pedro condado

Condados tree service

5150 Mecca St, Indianapolis, IN 46241

5.021

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+2

“Condados Tree Service was able to come out and give me a free quote and put me in their calendar immediately to get an extremely large tree removed…”
Ashe Amos · a year ago · Google

Arborist Professionals By Midwestern Tree Experts

1632 E Thompson Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46227

5.045

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+3

“I had a fantastic experience with arborist professionals by widest tree experts! They were professional, punctual, and extremely knowledgeable. From…”
bradley ketchem · 11 months ago · Google

A Better Stump Grinding Service

5360 Cordes Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46227

4.827

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+1

“Jesse was awesome -- he showed up on time, worked quickly, and safely removed 7 hedge stumps that I had cut down a few months ago. He used a shield…”
Missy Bigler · 11 months ago · Google

Photo author: Vickie Mourer

Green Arbor

1407 W Epler Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46217

4.544

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+1

“I’ve used them twice now at two different properties. I’ve been in the green industry for 30 years. These people know what they’re doing, they do it…”
Steve Wicker · 3 years ago · Google

Tree Care Inc.

2555 E 55th Pl #214, Indianapolis, IN 46220

5.026

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+2

“So happy with TreeCare service, cold them and got the tree removed from my roof same day. Definitely recommend to everyone.”
Gumar Tabtakh · 5 months ago · Google

Big Brothers Tree Services

269 N Shortridge Rd Apt 3, Indianapolis, IN 46219

4.817

Tree Removal
Tree Trimming
Stump Grinding
+2

“Requested an estimate on Yelp from several tree management companies for my daughters property and Alex showed up on time to provide the estimate, he…”
SK 214 · 8 months ago · Google

Distance measured from Indianapolis.