Tree Service in Vilonia, AR

Tree Service in Vilonia is shaped by two spring evenings. On April 25, 2011, a high-end EF2 tornado destroyed part of the town, mainly a mobile home park, and four people died in the Vilonia area. Three years later, on April 27, 2014, an EF4 tornado came through Mayflower and into Vilonia shortly before 7:50 p.m. Sixteen people died along its path. Homes in one subdivision were swept off their foundations, and the National Weather Service said the storm would likely have rated F5 on the old scale.

What that means for trees today

Whole blocks lost their trees in 2014. The landscape that grew back is a mix of three kinds of trees, each needing something different:

Survivors. Older trees that stood through one or both storms. Many have old breaks, twisted trunks or decay where limbs tore off. They are worth inspecting, because damage from a decade ago can still be developing.

Replanted trees. Shade trees planted during rebuilding are now 10 years old or so. This is the ideal age for structural pruning: choosing a single strong leader, removing competing stems and spacing the main limbs. A few hours of pruning now prevents splits and costly removals later.

Volunteers. Fast-growing seedlings that came up on their own in disturbed ground. Some are fine; others are weak-wooded species growing in the wrong spot, too close to a foundation or under a line.

Pruning young trees the right way

Good structure is easier to create than to fix. With young trees we:

• Keep one dominant trunk and shorten rivals
• Remove branches that form narrow, V-shaped forks with included bark
• Space permanent limbs along the trunk rather than bunching them at one height
• Take no more than a modest share of the live crown in a single visit

It is quick work, and it is far cheaper than dealing with a split tree in 20 years.

A name with a story

Vilonia was settled in the 1860s and first listed as Cypress Township. Settlers called it Vilsonia, said to mean land of two valleys, and a transcription error dropped the s when the local Masons applied for national affiliation. The town incorporated on August 23, 1938, and grew from 3,815 residents in 2010 to 4,288 in 2020 as it rebuilt.

Stumps left from the storms

Some Vilonia yards still have stumps from trees lost in 2011 or 2014. Old stumps are often partly rotted and quick to grind, and once they are gone the ground can be leveled and seeded. If you are planting a new tree near an old stump, grinding first gives the new roots clean soil to grow into.

Picking the right tree to plant

If you are replacing trees lost in a storm, choose species with strong wood and good structure, and give them room to grow away from the house and lines. Fast-growing, weak-wooded trees fill in quickly but are the first to break in the next big wind.

Storm readiness

Vilonia knows better than most that spring storms are not hypothetical. Before the season, look for dead limbs over the house, trees leaning toward bedrooms and any tree with a crack in the trunk. If you find one, call (501) 457-9035 for a free assessment. Get a free estimate