Lutz, Hillsborough County
Landscaping in Lutz, FL, planned around the oaks you keep
4.7 170+ Google reviewsFree on-site estimatesOver 35 years creating Florida-friendly landscapes
Landscape design and installation for Lutz yards, with the county's tree rules and shade explained before you decide.
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Landscaping in Lutz, FL around a large tree starts with two trunk sizes. In unincorporated Hillsborough, which covers Lutz, a single-family yard tree 12 inches across or more needs a permit to remove, unless an exemption applies, and an oak 34 inches or wider that passes the county's tests is a Grand Oak. Medscapes designs and installs lawns, beds and paver walkways around the trees you keep. Doug Wilson, our Director of Operations, walks the yard with you and writes your quote himself. Rules as of October 2026.
- Yard tree permit line
- 12 inches across for a single-family yard tree; some trees are exempt
- Grand Oak
- Oak 34 inches or wider, good or better condition, 175 points
- Pruning guide
- About 25 percent of the canopy at most in a growing season
- Estimate
- Free, on site, quoted by Doug
Tree rules
Three tree lines frame a Lutz yard plan: 12 inches, 34 inches and street trees
Lutz is a census-designated place with no city government, so the rules below are the unincorporated Hillsborough rules. A parcel inside Tampa, Temple Terrace or Plant City follows that city instead, and the county Property Appraiser can tell you which applies.
| Tree | Where the county draws the line |
|---|---|
| Yard tree at a single-family home | A permit to remove it at 12 inches across and larger, unless the tree is exempt |
| Required street or right-of-way tree | A permit at any size in a subdivision; at 5 inches outside one |
| Oak 34 inches or wider, good or better condition, 175 points | A Grand Oak, preserved unless the county authorizes removal |
Medscapes does not remove trees; tree consultations are in house.
Measure the trunk about 4.5 feet up. From a tape, divide the circumference by 3.14: 40 inches around is just under 13 inches across.
Sources: County residential tree permit guide (PDF); County tree resources; County watering days and times; Census Bureau 2020 Gazetteer (Lutz CDP row).
What Medscapes designs and installs around the oaks you keep
Hand sketch, 2D or 3D design
Hand sketches are free on approved projects. 2D and 3D designs are priced per project, and half the design fee goes toward the installation.
See the serviceShade beds
Groundcover and shade plants suited to zone 9b. UF/IFAS advises mulch 2 to 3 inches deep and kept 12 to 18 inches from a tree's base.
See the serviceSod where the sun reaches
St. Augustine or zoysia sod where at least 6 hours of sun reach the ground. UF/IFAS rates Bermuda poor in shade.
Paver walkways and patios
Outside an oak's dripline, a paver walkway or patio sits clear of the county's barrier area. We pull the permits your job needs and call Sunshine 811 before digging when the job needs it.
See the service
Where grass will not grow under the canopy, Medscapes also installs artificial turf, landscape lighting, and drainage including French drains. See landscape construction.
Watering and planting under Lutz oaks, in zone 9b
As of October 2026, lawns in unincorporated Hillsborough may be watered one day a week through March 31, 2027. UF/IFAS puts the usual minimum for lawn grasses at 6 hours of sun and rates Bermuda poor in shade, so under a heavy canopy plan a bed instead of turf.
- Plant zone
- Lutz ZIP codes 33559 and 33548 fall in USDA zone 9b on the 2023 map, so check each groundcover and shade plant against it.
- Among the roots
- Roots make digging hard, so UF/IFAS suggests small plants in small holes.
The watering schedule guide and the new sod guide list the days.
Sources: UF/IFAS turfgrass selection (PDF); UF/IFAS turfgrass in shade (PDF); UF/IFAS landscaping in shade; Florida-Friendly Landscaping mulch guidance; USDA plant hardiness zone map (search ZIP 33559 or 33548); County watering days and times; SWFWMD water restrictions (checked October 27, 2026).
What Hillsborough's barrier rule means for a path, patio or bed
As of October 2026, Hillsborough County makes the barrier a rule on land alteration and construction: at the canopy dripline, at least 3 feet high, with the ground inside left undisturbed unless the county approves work inside the dripline.
Outside the dripline, a path, patio or bed is clear of the barrier area. Inside it, the county requires undisturbed ground unless it approves the work.
Sources: County protective barrier requirements.
When the county calls an oak a Grand Oak
As of October 2026, a Grand Oak is an oak with a trunk at least 34 inches across, a condition rating of good or better and 175 points on the county's tree point system: 1 per inch of trunk circumference, 1 per foot of height and 1 per 4 feet of crown spread. An arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) makes the evaluation.
In most cases a Grand Oak stays unless the county authorizes its removal, and the expedited arborist route is not allowed for these trees.
| Trunk diameter | Replacement ratio |
|---|---|
| 34 to under 48 inches | 1:1 |
| 48 to under 60 inches | 1.5:1 |
| 60 inches and larger | 2:1 |
Removal needs the county's authorization and brings replacement trees.
As of October 2026, pruning an oak needs no county permit, and the county recommends removing no more than about 25 percent of the canopy in a growing season. Pruning that ignores the ANSI A300 standard (American National Standards Institute) can be prosecuted as effective removal. Grand Oaks must be pruned to ANSI A300; for anything beyond minor pruning (branches 3 inches or less across), the county recommends an ISA certified or ASCA registered consulting arborist (American Society of Consulting Arborists).
The county's Grand Oak pruning affidavit form (dated June 2020) has that arborist submit a notarized affidavit before pruning starts. Confirm the current requirement with the county's Natural Resources team.
Sources: County Grand Oak regulations page; County Grand Oak regulations (PDF); County permit application page; County residential tree permit guide (PDF); County pruning handout (PDF); County Grand Oak pruning affidavit form, June 2020 (PDF).
If your yard is just outside Lutz
The 12-inch and 34-inch lines belong to Hillsborough County. Land O' Lakes is in Pasco County, which sets its own tree rules. If you are not sure which county your parcel is in, ask the Hillsborough County Property Appraiser before you rely on the 12-inch or 34-inch lines. Medscapes works in both counties from its base in Wesley Chapel. Tampa addresses answer to the city, and the Hillsborough County page sets the city and county watering rules side by side.
Lutz in the Medscapes service area
Medscapes serves Lutz in Hillsborough County, alongside nearby Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes and Odessa.
- Lutz
- Land O' Lakes
- Odessa
- Wesley Chapel
Hedges, palms and flower beds from Medscapes jobs
Planted beds, hedges and palms at finished Medscapes yards. Swipe or drag, and select a photo to open it.
Reviews, word for word
4.7170+ reviews on GoogleWe had a Great Experience with Medscapes. Doug was amazing! He worked with us on a Landscaping design of our entire front and side yards. He made lots of suggestions on plants he would recommend. He and his team selected the plants, and installed them. They worked with us on any tweaks we wanted to make after the install. …
Phyllis Sacone Google review, 2023
The crew was very professional and worked hard throughout the day to make sure the job was done. The front yard looks way better and I can’t wait to see how some of these beautiful plants grow! Everyone was very responsive to questions throughout the process and it was all handled in a timely manner! …
Michelle V. Crespo-Melendrez Google review, 2023
I moved into my house in July 2022, and it desperately needed landscaping and some curb appeal. Medscapes was one of the few landscaping companies that actually responsed and showed up for an estimate. …
Danielle Brant Google review, 2022
Couldn’t recommend these guys more highly!! Doug and the team did an amazing job with the privacy palms they put in my backyard and also the gorgeous Sylvester palm tree out front. They came over to quote me right away after I contacted them and the landscaping work was started shortly after. Very professional, knowledgeable and timely!! …
Case Google review, 2022
As a business leader I know what it is like to take care of customers, and Medscapes Landscaping lives to their word. They manage our lawn service, and recently did new sod and landscape — they did it perfectly. A company that takes all the worry away.
Thomas O’Neill Google review, 2022
Our lawn has seriously never looked better. We love the hard working employees and business owner so much that we've recommended their exceptional service to our entire community, friends and family!! They are professional and very thorough. Providing us with an entrancing lawn we can enjoy all year round. …
Savannah Google review, 2018
Questions about oaks, shade and landscaping in Lutz
Not answered here? Call (813) 382-5801 or book a free on-site estimate.
What does Medscapes design and install in a Lutz yard, and what happens at the free estimate?
Medscapes designs and installs planting beds, sod (St. Augustine, zoysia or Bermuda), paver patios, walkways and driveways, artificial turf, landscape lighting, and drainage including French drains; see landscape construction. The estimate is free and on site, so you can point out the oaks you want kept and the work you want done.
How do I find out whether my Lutz oak is a Grand Oak?
Start with a tape: 34 inches across is about 107 inches around, and a thinner trunk cannot qualify. If yours is that wide, an ISA certified arborist makes the evaluation. As of October 2026, the county's Grand Oak regulations also require a condition of good or better and 175 points.
Do I need a county permit to prune an oak in Lutz?
No. As of October 2026, the county's residential tree permit guide says no permit is needed to prune and recommends removing no more than about 25 percent of the canopy in a growing season. Branches that hang over your property line can be pruned if the cuts follow good pruning practice and do not cause lasting harm to the tree, and the guide says to consult an ISA certified arborist before pruning a boundary tree. On a Grand Oak, all pruning must meet ANSI A300. For cuts on branches over 3 inches across, the county recommends an ISA certified or ASCA registered consulting arborist (see the Grand Oak regulations).
Can a walkway or patio go near an oak in Lutz?
Outside the dripline, the county's barrier area is not in the way. As of October 2026, inside the dripline the county's barrier rule requires undisturbed ground on land alteration or construction unless the county approves the work, and UF/IFAS advises against compacting the soil, changing its level or digging into the root zone. Point out the oak at the free on-site estimate.
Will grass grow under a mature oak in Lutz?
In most cases, only where at least 6 hours of sun reach the ground. Under heavier shade, UF/IFAS advises groundcover or mulch instead of turf. If you keep a shaded lawn, Medscapes offers fully customizable lawn maintenance packages (see the lawn care page). Medscapes does not apply fertilizer or pesticides; for those, use an FDACS-licensed provider.
An oak's roots are lifting my Lutz driveway. Will the county let me take it out?
Only if the damage cannot be fixed another way. As of October 2026, the county issues removal permits for trees that are unhealthy or cause damage that cannot be resolved otherwise (see the permit application page), and its guide says root pruning by a certified arborist can often fix sidewalk or driveway damage. A Grand Oak adds the preservation rule above.
Does the 12-inch line apply if my Lutz home is not in a subdivision?
Yes. As of October 2026, the county's residential tree permit guide sets the same 12-inch line for a single-family yard tree in unincorporated Hillsborough whether or not the home sits in a subdivision, and certain trees are exempt regardless of size.
Last updated
Show Doug the oaks in your Lutz yard
Call (813) 382-5801 or use the form on this page with your Lutz address and a rough idea of what you want. Doug walks the yard and writes the quote himself, and the estimate is free and on site. Medscapes is licensed and insured, with over 35 years creating all types of Florida-friendly landscapes and over 100 years of combined experience across Doug and his team. References are available on request.
- 1Call or book online
- 2Doug walks the yard with you
- 3You get a written quote
Book a free on-site estimateCall (813) 382-5801
Monday to Friday, 7 AM to 5 PM · Based in Wesley Chapel