Why the words blur together
Homeowners say trimming, tree services say pruning, and landscapers say shaping, often about the same job. Our own service list says "trimming, pruning and shaping" in one breath, because customers search for all three. There is no legal definition that separates them for a homeowner, so do not let the word on the estimate decide what you are buying.
The industry does have a working vocabulary. The pruning standard arborists follow, ANSI A300, names cuts by purpose and by where the cut is made, and the International Society of Arboriculture says no branch should be cut without a reason.
How the words are usually used
These are common meanings, not rules.
- Trimming: light tidying of growth that has gotten out of hand, such as shrubs, hedges and small limbs touching a fence.
- Pruning: cuts made to improve health, structure, safety or clearance. Removing dead wood, shortening a heavy limb, and lifting low branches off a driveway all count.
- Shaping: guiding the outline of the crown. On a shade tree this is done lightly; a tree that is cut to a shape every year is being fought, not guided.
What matters more than the word
Two jobs with the same label can be very different. A job that removes dead wood and a few crossing branches is gentle. A job that cuts every limb back to stubs is topping, which is not pruning at all. The ISA calls topping perhaps the most harmful pruning practice known. See why topping is not pruning.
The cuts also have names. Thinning, raising and reduction each remove different wood, and this guide explains each one.
What to say at the estimate
Tell the arborist what you want the tree to do: clear the roof, open the driveway, lose the dead limbs, or look neater. The estimate is free, a certified arborist looks at the tree before any work starts, and the plan should say what comes off and why. You can also call the office at 775.232.8243.
Sources
- International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Pruning Your Trees (read October 17, 2026)