Tenant Furious After Landlord’s “Tree Trim” Turns Beloved Pecan Tree Into Bare Stump
AUSTIN, TEXAS — A Texas tenant says her landlord went too far when they promised to give her pecan tree a “trim”—only for her to return home and find it completely stripped bare. What was once a lush, leafy tree providing shade to her driveway and truck is now little more than a stump with jagged limbs, sparking outrage across social media.
From Summer Shade to Empty Yard
Before the “trim,” the tenant described her pecan tree as the perfect part of her home’s charm — tall, healthy, and providing year-round shade. It wasn’t blocking the driveway or threatening the foundation, she said, but did occasionally drop a few pecans and a low-hanging branch. “I loved having it there despite the mess. It gave my truck perfect shade year-round,” she wrote online. But after the landlord’s maintenance crew arrived, that beloved tree was left nearly destroyed, with nothing but a trunk and a few broken branches standing in its place.
Tenant Left Without Shade in Scorching Heat
Now, the tenant says her home’s front yard is unbearably hot, with no natural shade left to shield her or her vehicle from the Texas sun. “Now I have no shade. And it’s still 90° outside,” she said, sharing side-by-side photos showing the stark difference before and after the so-called trimming job. The images show a once-lush pecan tree in full bloom, now reduced to a skeletal form that experts say might not recover.
Landlord sent someone over to give the pecan tree a "trim"
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Social Media Reactions and Debate Over Tenant Rights
The viral post has reignited debate about tenant rights and landlord responsibility, especially regarding property landscaping. Thousands of online users sympathized with the tenant, criticizing the landlord for what they called an act of negligence. Arborists have also weighed in, explaining that severe over-pruning or topping can kill a mature tree by exposing it to disease and heat damage. “That’s not a trim — that’s removal,” one commenter wrote.
The tenant says she never asked for major tree work and was shocked when she saw the result. For now, she’s left with a bare yard, rising temperatures, and the frustration of losing a part of her home’s comfort and character.
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