How to care for a Joshua tree on your property, and what the law requires before anyone trims, removes or moves it.
Get a Free Planting PlanJoshua trees grow well in the High Desert without any help from us. They are native here and need almost no water. If you have one on your property, your job is to keep it healthy and stay inside the law: under the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act (2023), you need authorization from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) before you trim, remove or move one.
Top photo: Photo: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Accent · Yucca brevifolia · Also called Western Joshua Tree · Native to the Mojave Desert, including the Victor Valley. Protected in California
| Joshua Tree at a glance in the High Desert | |
|---|---|
| Type and size at maturity | Tree-like yucca, typically 5 to 20 ft tall [7] |
| Growth rate | Slow [7] |
| Water once established | Very low (WUCOLS IV, Region 5, High and Intermediate Desert: VL). Extra water can cause rot [8] |
| Sun | Full sun [7] |
| Cold hardiness | Tolerates cold to -20F (a grower sheet lists -10F) [7] |
| Wind | Trenching within 10 ft of the base damages roots, and the tree may later be toppled by wind [10] |
| Soil | Fast-draining, coarse-grained alluvial soil [7] |
| Bloom | Greenish-white flower clusters in spring [7] |
| Evergreen or deciduous | Evergreen [7] |
| Pets | Toxic to dogs, cats and horses (ASPCA lists all Yucca species). Stiff, dagger-like leaves [11] |
| Wildlife | Pollinated only by yucca moths; nesting sites for about 25 bird species; host plant for the Yucca Giant-Skipper butterfly [7] |
| Where it fits | Protected by the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act. Care for trees already on your property; trimming, removal or relocation needs CDFW authorization [1] |
The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act (WJTCA) became California law in July 2023. According to CDFW, it prohibits the import, export, take, possession, purchase or sale of any western Joshua tree in California unless CDFW authorizes it. That applies on private property, including your own yard.
The western Joshua tree is also still a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act. CDFW’s FAQ says it keeps that status until the Fish and Game Commission votes to list it or to deny the listing petition. If it is listed, the WJTCA permit options stop working and only the stricter CESA and NCCP permit routes remain. CDFW must deliver an updated status review by January 1, 2033.
A few points from CDFW that homeowners ask about most:
This page does not cover planting a new Joshua tree. Buying, selling and possessing one all fall under the Act, so talk to CDFW before a Joshua tree comes onto or leaves a property.
CDFW offers two permit paths under the WJTCA.
Hazard Management Permit (free). This is for property owners managing a dangerous tree. It can allow removal of a dead tree, or trimming of a living or dead tree, if at least one of these is true: the tree has fallen over and is within 30 feet of a structure, it is leaning against an existing structure, or it creates an imminent threat to public health or safety. It cannot authorize complete removal of a living tree, and trimming may not kill the tree. CDFW says it will issue the permit within 10 days for an imminent threat and within 30 days for a fallen or leaning tree. Work on live trees must be assisted by a desert native plant specialist: an ISA-certified arborist or someone with five years of desert plant restoration or relocation experience.
WJTCA Incidental Take Permit (per-tree fee). This covers removal of living trees, removal tied to new construction, and dead trees more than 30 feet from a structure. It requires a tree census, measurements and photos of each tree, and CEQA review. Relocation may be made a permit condition, and CDFW prefers relocating on site when possible. Every stem or trunk rising from the ground counts as one tree. Current mitigation fees per tree, as posted by CDFW:
CDFW adjusts the fees every year and must adopt fee regulations by December 31, 2026, so check the current table and the fee-area map on CDFW’s site before you budget.
High Desert cities, including Hesperia, Victorville, Apple Valley and Adelanto, are in San Bernardino County, which CDFW serves from its Region 6 office. Start with the right inbox:
Rules and fees can change. Treat CDFW’s pages, linked in the sources below, as the final word.
CDFW publishes a basic care sheet for homeowners. Its main points:
WUCOLS rates the Joshua tree Very Low water for the High Desert, and Calscape says it needs fast-draining, coarse soil. Established trees on an undisturbed lot usually need nothing from you.
Roots reach much farther than most people think. CDFW cites a Lancaster study that found roots 45.9 feet from the base of a 14-foot tree. The county’s Guide to High Desert Landscaping says not to build walls, patios or anything that needs trenching within 10 feet of the trunk, and to avoid landscaping beneath the tree. Damaged roots can leave the tree prone to toppling in spring wind.
The safest plan is to design around the tree and leave its root zone alone. If the work fully avoids impacts, CDFW says no permit is needed. If it might not, ask CDFW before anyone digs.
Trees bloom in spring. Pull weeds near the base by hand. After windy days, check for leaning trunks or fallen limbs.
Established trees need no extra water. Make sure sprinkler overspray and drip emitters are not wetting the base.
Plan any yard projects to stay clear of the root zone. If work might affect the tree, contact CDFW before you start.
Do not cut storm damage on a live tree without a permit. If a tree falls within 30 feet of a structure, apply for a free Hazard Management Permit.
Not without CDFW authorization. A living tree can only be removed under a WJTCA Incidental Take Permit, which carries a per-tree mitigation fee. The free Hazard Management Permit covers dead trees and trimming, not removal of living trees.
Yes. CDFW’s free Hazard Management Permit allows trimming if the tree has fallen within 30 feet of a structure, is leaning on a structure, or is an imminent safety threat. A qualified desert native plant specialist must assist with live trees.
The Hazard Management Permit is free. Incidental Take Permit fees currently run from $156.50 to $2,609.00 per tree, depending on tree height and fee area. CDFW adjusts them every year.
Usually not. CDFW says to avoid overwatering an established tree, because extra water can cause rot. Keep water from pooling at the base and keep lawn away from it.
No. The ASPCA lists all yucca species, which include the Joshua tree, as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. The stiff, pointed leaves are also a hazard.
We checked every number on this page against the public sources below. If a rule or date changes, the agency page is the final word.
Monarch designs and installs rockscape, drip irrigation and drought-tolerant plantings across the High Desert. We will check sun, wind and soil on your lot and tell you where a plant will do well and where it will struggle.
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