Talk about the gardener securing a job for the future huh.

Really I doubt you have much legal recourse unless there is a strange ordinace of two on the book.

Maybe just tell the landlord they can save the money if they are doing it for your benefit?

Massively severe pruning of just about any tree species is incredibly common in SoCal. I have no idea why but you will see this sort of treatment to trees in just about any pubic space.........boulevard trees, in parks, parking lots, shopping malls, gas stations. Also in many private gardens. No one has ever been able to explain to me why they are pruned in such a radical manner but it is dead commonplace!!

agree .... i would think renters have few rights .. though i have no clue about CA specifically ...

the bark is cool.. but what are all the little dark speckles ... ??? .. are they normal coloration???

at least its leaning away from the house .;..

ken

I've driven thousands of miles in Mexico. It's a common practice there, but the trees are more tropical.

This tree used to be quite common in So Cal, and the joke was that many, many tree trimmers financed their children's college educations by having customers with Lacebark Elms. Here they grow incredibly fast.

As Southern California Lacebark Elm trimming goes, that isn't bad at all.

You'll have considerable shade again by next summer.

Wow, that’s like taking Crape Murder to another level. Glad they don’t do that to trees around here. Well, except our poor Crape myrtles.