Which trees does the City of Seguin prefer?
The city's "Approved Plant Lists for Landscaping Requirements," part of the UDC Technical Manual and marked "Proposed updates Jan 2023," name these as preferred trees (checked Nov 14, 2026):
| Large trees | Small trees (partial list) |
|---|---|
| Live oak, bur oak, chinquapin oak, Lacey oak, Mexican white oak, Texas red oak | Desert willow, Eve's necklace, Mexican buckeye |
| Pecan, cedar elm, Texas ash, western soapberry, honey mesquite | Mexican plum, Mexican redbud, possumhaw holly |
| Bald cypress, Montezuma cypress, Arizona cypress | Texas mountain laurel, Texas persimmon, wax myrtle |
| Mexican sycamore, Texas sycamore, bigtooth maple | And others on the city list |
A preferred tree becomes a protected tree under UDC Sec. 5.2.3.G once it reaches 6 inches across at 4.5 feet for large-maturing kinds, or 4 inches for small-maturing and multi-trunk trees. Protection matters for the city's Tree Removal Permit, which platted single-family lots are exempt from. How the permit works.
Which common trees does Seguin leave unprotected?
The city's "List of Not Protected Species" includes:
- hackberry and mesquite;
- every ash except Texas ash, which puts Arizona ash on the list;
- chinaberry, Chinese tallow, Chinese pistache and Chinese (Siberian) elm;
- crape myrtle, mimosa, waxleaf privet and all palms;
- paper mulberry, princess tree, Russian olive, tree of heaven, camphor tree, golden raintree and several others.
One oddity: "Honey Mesquite" sits on the preferred list under the same Latin name, Prosopis glandulosa, as the unprotected "Mesquite." If a mesquite's status matters for your property, ask Seguin Planning at 830-386-2505 (checked Nov 14, 2026).
What kind of soil are Seguin's trees growing in?
Guadalupe County's general soil map lists eleven map units: Aluf-Hitilo, Austin-Houston, Brackett, Branyon-Lewisville, Rumple-Comfort, Demona-Crockett, Houston-Heiden, Lewisville-Greune, Sunev-Divot, Sunev-Bosque-Seguin and Straber-Rosensky (NRCS data, via the Texas Master Naturalists Guadalupe chapter; checked Nov 14, 2026). Two soil series give the clearest picture.
- Houston Black. Very deep, moderately well drained and very slowly permeable, with high shrink-swell potential and cracks 1/2 to 4 inches wide. It belongs to the Blackland Prairies (USDA NRCS, rev. 08/2017).
- Seguin. Deep, well drained and moderately permeable, formed in alluvium next to streams and rivers, with its type location in the Guadalupe River flood plain in Guadalupe County. Native vegetation is pecan and elm over grasses such as big bluestem; the land is used mostly for pasture and pecan orchards (USDA NRCS, rev. 11/85).
In practical terms, a very slowly permeable clay stays soft for a while after heavy rain, which is when a tree's roots have the least grip, while the well-drained Seguin loam sheds water faster. That difference is worth knowing when a big tree stands close to the house.
Has emerald ash borer reached Guadalupe County?
Not as of the latest county list. The Texas A&M Forest Service's emerald ash borer page lists 40 confirmed Texas counties as of June 2026, and Guadalupe County is not among them (checked Nov 14, 2026). The beetle has spread quickly: in July 2025 the Forest Service counted 31 counties and called Bell County the southernmost confirmed location in the nation, and a June 5, 2026 AgriLife Today report added Young, Montague and Clay counties.
Seguin's plant lists already treat ash unevenly: Texas ash is a preferred tree, while every other ash, Arizona ash included, is on the not-protected list.
How has drought affected trees in this part of Texas?
The Texas A&M Forest Service estimated that the 2011 drought killed 301 million trees on Texas forest land, plus 5.6 million urban trees counted separately, with the Brazos Valley hit hardest (checked Nov 14, 2026). For fiscal 2025, the USDA Forest Service reported that "Texas experienced severe drought conditions" that led to widespread decline and death across several tree species. Drought-stressed oaks are also more open to hypoxylon canker, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; see live oak care.
Why does growth bring tree surveys into the picture?
Guadalupe County passed 200,000 residents in the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate, up from about 172,700 in 2020, and Seguin's July 1, 2024 estimate was 38,789 (Census Bureau via FRED; Seguin EDC; checked Nov 14, 2026). The Seguin EDC calls the city the fastest-growing in the San Antonio metro for 2023 to 2024.
New neighborhoods carry the tree rules at the development stage. UDC Sec. 5.2.9.C calls for a tree survey before a building or site development permit for nonresidential or subdivision development, and the fee schedule effective Aug 28, 2026 lists a $200 plus $5 per acre tree survey and mitigation study fee (checked Nov 14, 2026). Once a lot is platted for a single-family home, the city's Tree Removal Permit no longer applies to its trees (Sec. 5.2.8.B.5).
Tree questions from Seguin homeowners
Is the cedar elm in my yard protected?
Cedar elm is on the preferred list, so one 6 inches or more across at 4.5 feet is protected on land the permit covers. On a platted single-family lot, it can come out without the city permit.
What should I plant where a tree came out?
The city's preferred list is a good place to start, and the Living Green in Seguin guide says: "Call 811 before you dig a hole for a new tree." (2023; checked Nov 14, 2026) If the old stump is still there, see stump grinding.
Can someone look at a tree I'm unsure about?
Send a request or call (830) 406-4266. It goes to one independent contractor working in Seguin and around Guadalupe County.
Sources: City of Seguin approved plant lists; Seguin Unified Development Code and fee schedule; Seguin Planning & Codes; USDA NRCS official series descriptions for Houston Black and Seguin; Guadalupe County general soil map; Texas A&M Forest Service emerald ash borer page and July 15, 2025 release and the 2011 drought; AgriLife Today (June 5, 2026); Texas Forest Health Highlights 2025; AgriLife hypoxylon fact sheet; FRED, Guadalupe County population; Seguin EDC demographics and growth report; Living Green in Seguin (2023). All checked Nov 14, 2026.