Davenport Tree Services for a town that nearly doubled in four years
Few places in Polk County have changed as fast. The Census Bureau counted 9,043 people inside Davenport’s city limits in 2020, then estimated 16,764 by mid-2024. Ten years earlier the figure was just 2,888. All those rooftops brought young oaks set a few feet from garages, palms crowding pool cages and stray grove trees stranded mid-lot.
“Davenport” on an envelope does not always mean the city, though. The mailing name also covers a large stretch of unincorporated land toward the Four Corners, including resort neighborhoods across the Osceola County line. We work across all of it and flag below which rules are city rules and which are county rules. From our Lakeland yard the trip is about 27 miles, or 37 minutes.
Tree Removal Davenport residents search for: the city itself vs. the 33896 and 33897 resort areas
Postal lines and city lines here rarely match. Communities we cover:
- Historic downtown Davenport (33837): the grid streets around City Hall, the Tom Fellows Community Center on North Boulevard West and the old rail corridor, where older homes carry the tallest shade trees in town.
- The rest of 33837: this ZIP covers the city plus a good deal of unincorporated land, including golf and new-build communities such as Providence off Ernie Caldwell Boulevard.
- ChampionsGate (33896): a golf-focused community at I-4 Exit 58 in western Osceola County, home to the Omni resort. It uses a Davenport ZIP but sits inside the Four Corners census-designated place, not the city.
- Resort and vacation-home communities: neighborhoods such as Solterra, Aviana and Highlands Reserve, many built for short-term rentals and second homes.
- North of I-4 (33897): a largely built-out area on the west side of US-27 with plenty of resale homes.
Before quoting permits or pickup rules, we confirm whether your parcel falls in the city, unincorporated Polk or Osceola County. Owners who live elsewhere can have us coordinate with a property manager and get photos afterward.
Davenport Tree Company fact sheet: Fort Davenport, Horse Creek and a fast-growing city
- Name: taken from Fort Davenport, a Second Seminole War post set up in 1838 about 12 miles north and named for Colonel William Davenport.
- First name: Horse Creek. The post office opened under that name in 1884 and switched to Davenport in 1886.
- Incorporated: March 11, 1915, with 26 registered voters at the first meeting.
- Population: 9,043 (2020 Census); 16,764 (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Elevation: roughly 135 feet above sea level; the terrain belongs to the Central Florida Highlands.
- Water: Horse Creek flows past town into Snell Creek and on to Lake Hatchineha, part of the Kissimmee River system.
- ZIP codes: 33837 for the city and nearby land; 33896 and 33897 for the ChampionsGate and north-of-I-4 areas.
Rail service from the South Florida Railroad reached the site during the 1880s, and by 1920 the town counted around 140 residents. Citrus then carried the local economy, which is why so many Davenport lots still hold an orange tree or two from an old grove row.
Tree Cutting Davenport crews route along I-4, US-27 and US-17/92
Four corridors shape how we plan a Davenport day:
- US-17/92 cuts right through downtown Davenport and is the most direct line for our trucks coming from Lakeland.
- US-27 lies a few miles west of the historic center and carries most of the newer growth, from Haines City north to Posner Park and I-4.
- I-4 crosses about 8 miles north of downtown. Exit 58 serves ChampionsGate, and the US-27 interchange sits beside Posner Park.
- County Road 547 runs north from town and passes the Davenport Evergreen Cemetery and the Public Services yard.
Rush-hour traffic near the I-4 interchanges is heavy, so we try to book resort-area jobs for early morning. On gated streets, we ask for gate codes or a guest pass ahead of time so a loaded chipper is not idling at the entrance.
Davenport Tree Trimming around Posner Park, the historic district and Holly Hill grove country
- Davenport Historic District: earned its National Register listing on August 15, 1997; it holds 28 historic buildings between Suwannee and Orange Avenues, Palmetto Street and West Boulevard.
- Holly Hill Grove and Fruit Company: a Davenport citrus grower and packer whose groves and buildings appear in the Florida Memory state archive; a related fruit-products company was incorporated in Davenport in 1960.
- Posner Park: an outdoor shopping center at I-4 and US-27 that opened in March 2008 on land once used by the Circus World and Boardwalk and Baseball theme parks.
- City parks: Wilson Park, Jamestown Park and the Lewis W. Mathews Sports Complex, plus the Tom Fellows Community Center.
Around the historic district, big oaks overhang narrow streets and service drops, so we favor careful tree trimming in Davenport that lifts limbs off roofs and wires instead of heavy cuts that stress an older tree.
Davenport Arborist Notes: sandy grove soil, planted palms and young subdivision trees
Davenport is mostly level ground with a few low, rolling hills, and much of it is sandy soil that once grew citrus. When groves give way to houses, the same few problems keep appearing. Leftover citrus trees decline and attract pests. Fast-growing laurel oaks planted as street trees reach roof height within a couple of decades. Builders often ring pools and entry drives with palms that need regular frond cleanup. Citrus greening, first found in South Florida in 2005 and spread through Central Florida by 2010, has also left many backyard orange trees weak or dying.
On the older side of town, live oaks and pines dominate, and low spots near Horse Creek stay wet longer after heavy rain. Waterlogged roots lose their grip in tropical-storm winds, and that is when people call our 24/7 storm response in Davenport. Read our hurricane readiness guide for trees before June.
Davenport Tree Permit rules, utility wires and Republic Services pickup
Inside city limits: Davenport’s Unified Land Development Regulations (Section 5.07.04.04) say native vegetation or trees measuring at least 12 inches in diameter at breast height should not be removed from property in the city without a vegetation removal permit from the building department. The code allows verbal authorization when a tree must come down immediately for safety, exempts active citrus groves, and waives permit fees for melaleuca, Australian pine, Brazilian pepper and dead or dying trees. How this applies to an existing single-family lot is worth confirming with Building & Planning at (863) 419-3300 — or we can call for you.
Outside the city: ChampionsGate and other Osceola addresses follow Osceola County rules, and unincorporated Polk parcels follow Polk County. Statewide, section 163.045 frees a single-family owner from local approval, fees and mandatory replacement when an ISA-certified tree expert (or a Florida-registered landscape architect) signs off that the tree poses unacceptable danger. See the permit article on our blog.
Power lines: Much of the Davenport area is Duke Energy territory; your bill will confirm it. Branches on energized wires are the utility’s job first.
Yard waste: The city contracts with Republic Services for collection. We could not verify limb size limits, so ask Public Services at (863) 419-3300, ext. 136. On our jobs, the debris leaves with our trucks.
Davenport Tree Removal Cost, from grove leftovers to big oaks
Our prices do not change when we cross into Davenport:
- Tree removal in Davenport spans $375–$3,200, and most average-sized yard trees come in around $750–$1,800
- Heavy oaks: $1,800–$3,500
- Palms: trims start at $75, full removals at $200
- Stump grinding in Davenport runs $100–$400 apiece
- Night, weekend and storm calls: $500–$5,000
Taking out several old citrus trees in one visit costs less per tree than booking them one at a time. Gated access, pool cages and screened lanais can add rigging time. Our breakdown of removal pricing lists every factor.
Every service from your Davenport tree company
Davenport Tree Removal
Davenport removals range from single leftover grove trees in new subdivisions to tall laurel oaks shading the historic district. Tree removal in Davenport →
Davenport Oak Tree Removal
Big live oaks near downtown Davenport often lean over roofs and service drops, so we section them down piece by piece rather than dropping them whole. Oak tree removal in Davenport →
Davenport Palm Tree Service
Resort and vacation-rental homes around Davenport carry lots of planted palms, and we clean fronds and seed pods so pool decks and cages stay clear. Palm tree service in Davenport →
Davenport Emergency Tree Service
If a storm drops a tree on a Davenport home or rental, our 24/7 line sends a crew over from Lakeland, about 37 minutes away. Emergency tree service in Davenport →
Davenport Tree Trimming
Trimming in Davenport usually means clearing limbs off new roofs, pool screens and driveways before they cause damage. Tree trimming in Davenport →
Davenport Stump Grinding
Stumps left from old citrus rows and builder clearing are common on Davenport lots, and grinding them lets new sod or landscaping go in. Stump grinding in Davenport →
Free Davenport tree quotes
Most Davenport homeowners get a written estimate within 24 hours. No pressure, no hidden fees, no surprise charges after the chainsaw starts.
Get a Free Davenport Tree Quote →Davenport tree removal & tree service FAQs
No. ChampionsGate uses the 33896 Davenport ZIP code, but it is in western Osceola County, inside the Four Corners census-designated place. Tree rules there come from Osceola County, not the city.
City code calls for one when a trunk measures 12 inches across or more, with exceptions for emergencies, working groves and dead trees. Confirm your situation with Building & Planning at (863) 419-3300; we are happy to check.
Yes. We can meet your property manager on site, work between guest stays and send photos when the job is done.
Often not. Greening leaves many backyard citrus trees thin, blotchy and fruiting poorly, and removal plus stump grinding is usually the practical fix. Compare yours against our rundown of symptoms that a tree is failing.
Our crews look at the tree in person and give an honest opinion, but our staff hold no ISA credential. The 163.045 exemption hinges on written findings signed by someone with ISA arborist certification or a Florida landscape-architecture licensee, and we can point you toward one.
The electric utility, which for much of Davenport is Duke Energy. Report it to them; once they have cleared or de-energized the line, we handle whatever is still standing.
Usually, yes. The trip is about 27 miles and 37 minutes, so we can often look at a tree the day you call.
Republic Services, under contract with the city. For limb and pile size limits, call Davenport Public Services at (863) 419-3300, ext. 136.
Yes, including homes on both sides of US-27 and north of I-4.