Preventing tree roots sewer drain pipes
Planting trees near drain pipes
Tree roots will travel far and wide in search of water, and if your drain pipe has even a slight leak, the roots will find it!
To help prevent the tree roots from getting in to your drain pipes we have made a list of common garden plants and the recommended minimum distance that they should be planted away from your sewer drain to prevent the tree roots from blocking the pipe.
Some smaller garden plants can also cause problems. In particular, the suggested minimum distance from any sewer pipes for Bamboo, Grape Vines and Wisteria is 6 metres.
MATURE HEIGHT RANGE (METRES) | COMMON NAME | BOTANICAL NAME | SUGGESTED MINIMUM DISTANCE FROM ANY SEWER PIPE (METRES) |
---|---|---|---|
Small Tree | |||
3 – 5 | Apple | Malus | 2 |
4 – 5 | Apricot, Peach & Nectarine | Prunus | 6 |
4 – 5 | Avocado | Persea | 2 |
3 – 5 | Banksia | Banksia species | 4 |
3 – 4 | Bell-fruited Mallee | Eucalyptus preissiana | 4 |
3 – 5 | Coarse-leaved Mallee | Eucalyptus grossa | 4 |
3 – 5 | Crab Apple | Malus | 2 |
5 | Crepe Myrtle | Lagerstroemia indica | 4 |
4 | Flinders Range Wattle | Acacia iteaphylla | 6 |
4-10 | Forman’s Mallee | Eucalyptus formanii | 4 |
3 – 4 | Four-winged Mallee | Eucalyptus tetraptera | 2 |
4-6 | Fox Tail Palm | Wodyetia bifurcata | 6 |
4 | Frangipani | Plumeria | 2 |
3-4 | Fuchsia Mallee | Eucalyptus forrestiana | 4 |
3-5 | Grapefruit, Lemon, Mandarin, Orange | Citrus | 4 |
4-5 | Guava (Pineapple) | Feijoa sellowiana | 2 |
3-4 | Guava | Psidium | 2 |
4 | Hibiscus | Hibiscus sinensis | 2 |
4-5 | Judas Tree | Cercis silaquastris | 4 |
4-5 | Kings Park Bottlebrush | Callistemon ‘Kings Park Special’ | 4 |
4-6 | Kingsmill’s Mallee | Eucalyptus kingsmillii | 4 |
3-4 | Kruse’s Mallee | Eucalyptus kruseana | 2 |
4-6 | Little Ghost Gum | Eucalyptus victrix | 4 |
4-5 | Loquat | Eriobotrya | 4 |
4-6 | Mango | Mangifera | 6 |
3-5 | Melaleuca | Small shrub forms | 6 |
4 | Mottlecah | Eucalyptus macrocarpa | 4 |
4 – 6 | Mudgee Wattle | Acacia spectabilis | 4 |
5 | Narrow leaved Red Mallee | Eucalyptus foecunda | 4 |
4 – 6 | Olive | Olea | 6 |
4 – 5 | Ornamental Cherry, Peach Plum | Prunus | 6 |
4 – 5 | Pagoda Tree | Sophora japonica | 6 |
5 | Pear-fruited Mallee | Eucalyptus pyriformis | 4 |
4 – 6 | Pincushion Hakea | Hakea laurina | 2 |
4 – 5 | Plum | Prunus | 6 |
4 – 5 | Red-flowered Moort | Eucalyptus nutans | 4 |
4 – 10 | Ridge-fruited Mallee | Eucalyptus angulosa | 4 |
3 – 4 | Rose Mallee | Eucalyptus rhodantha | 4 |
3 – 5 | Scarlet Pear Gum | Eucalyptus stoatei | 4 |
3 – 5 | Spearwood Mallee | Eucalyptus doratoxylon | 4 |
3 – 4 | Tallerack | Eucalyptus x tetragona | 2 |
3 – 5 | Tree Daphne, Pom Pom Tree | Dais cotinifolia | 2 |
4 – 6 | Triangle Palm | Dypsis decaryi | 6 |
4 – 5 | Umbrella Tree | Schefflera actinophylla | 20 |
4 | Webster’s Mallee | Eucalyptus websteriana | 2 |
4 – 6 | Weeping Gum | Eucalyptus sepulcralis | 10 |
4 – 8 | Weeping Pittosporum | Pittosporum phylliraeoides | 6 |
5 | Willow Bottlebrush | Callistemon salignus | 4 |
Medium Tree | |||
6 – 8 | African Red Alder, Butter-Knife Bush | Cunonia capensis | 6 |
6 – 9 | Almond | Prunus | 6 |
5 – 8 | Birch, Silver Birch | Betula | 4 |
8 – 10 | Black Locust, Pink Wisteria Tree Mop Top | Robinia | 20 |
8 – 10 | Black Wattle | Acacia decurrens | 10 |
8 | Blue Mallet | Eucalyptus gardneri | 6 |
10 | Blueberry Ash | Elaeocarpus reticulatus | 4 |
6 – 8 | Box Elder | Acer negundo | 6 |
6 | Burdet Gum | Eucalyptus burdettiana | 4 |
6 | Bushy Yate, Bald Island Marlock | Eucalyptus conferruminata | 4 |
8 | Butterfly Tree | Bauhinia | 4 |
6 | Caesia | Eucalyptus caesia | 6 |
10 | Cape Chestnut | Calodendron capense | 6 |
8 – 10 | Cape Lilac, White Cedar | Melia azedarach | 20 |
5 – 8 | Carob Tree | Ceratonia siliqua | 6 |
6 – 8 | Castwellan Gold, Leighton’s Green | Cupressocyparis leylandii | 6 |
10 | Chinese Pistacio | Pistacio chinensis | 6 |
8 – 10 | Chinese Tallow | Triadica sebifera | 2 |
7 | Coastal Moort | Eucalyptus utilis | 4 |
8 | Cocos Palm | Syagrus romanzoffiana | 6 |
6 – 12 | Common Sheoak | Allocasuarina fraseriana | 6 |
8 | Coolibah | Eucalyptus microtheca | 6 |
6 | Cootamundra Wattle | Acacia baileyana | 6 |
8 | Coral Gum | Eucalyptus torquata | 4 |
6 | Cottonwood | Hibiscus tiliaceus | 4 |
6 – 8 | Drooping Sheoak | Allocasuarina verticillata | 20 |
8 | Dwarf Sugar Gum | Eucalyptus cladocalyx ‘Nana’ | 6 |
7 | Evergreen Magnolia | Magnolia grandiflora | 6 |
5 – 8 | Flame Tree, Coral Tree | Erythrina – All | 20 |
6 – 8 | Golden Wattle | Acacia pycnantha | 4 |
7 | Gossamer Wattle, White Sallow Wattle | Acacia floribunda | 4 |
8 | Illyarrie, Red Capped Gum | Eucalyptus erythrocorys | 6 |
6 – 12 | Indian Bean | Catalpa bigonioides | 6 |
6 – 8 | Irish Strawberry Tree | Arbutus unedo | 6 |
5 – 8 | Jelly Palm | Butia capitata | 6 |
5 – 10 | Kanooka, Water Gum | Tristaniopsis laurina | 6 |
10 | Kurrajongs | Brachychiton | 6 |
8 – 10 | Lemon-flowered Gum | Eucalyptus woodwardii | 6 |
6 – 8 | Macadamia | Macadamia | 6 |
5 – 10 | Melaleuca | Tree & large shrub forms | 10 |
5 – 10 | Mulberry | Morus | 6 |
6 – 9 | Native Daphne | Pittosporum undulatum | 6 |
8 – 15 | Native Frangipani | Hymenosporum flavum | 4 |
10 | Norfolk Island Hibiscus | Lagunaria patersonii | 10 |
8 – 10 | Oaks | Quercus | 20 |
6 – 9 | Ornamental Pears | Pyrus | 6 |
6 – 12 | Pecan | Carya | 6 |
5 – 8 | Pencil Pine, Golden Pencil Pine | Cupressus sempervirens ‘Stricta’ | 2 |
9 – 15 | Pepper Corn Tree | Schinus molle | 20 |
5 – 8 | Photinia | Photinia serrulata | 6 |
10 | Pink-flowered Yellow Gum | Eucalyptus leucoxylon ‘Rosea’ | 6 |
5 – 8 | Poinciana | Delonix regia | 6 |
6 – 8 | Port Lincoln Gum | Eucalyptus lansdowneana | 6 |
8 – 10 | Powton, Princess Tree | Paulownia | 20 |
9 – 12 | Queensland Fire Wheel Tree | Stenocarpus sinuatus | 4 |
6 | Queensland Silver Wattle | Acacia podalyriifolia | 6 |
9 | Red Flowered Gum | Corymbia (Eucalyptus) ficifolia | 6 |
6 | Red-flowered Mallee | Eucalyptus erythronema | 4 |
7 | River Yate, Long-flowered Marlock | Eucalyptus macrandra | 4 |
6 – 8 | Rottnest Pine | Callitris preisii | 6 |
6 – 8 | Round-leaved Snow or Spinning Gum | Eucalyptus perriniana | 6 |
6 | Silver Princess | Eucalyptus caesia subsp.magna | 4 |
8 – 10 | Silver-topped Gimlet | Eucalyptus campaspe | 6 |
7 | Southern Cross Silver Mallee | Eucalyptus crucis | 4 |
6 – 8 | Steedman’s Gum | Eucalyptus steedmanii | 6 |
8 | Strickland Gum | Eucalyptus stricklandii | 6 |
8 | Swamp Mallet | Eucalyptus spathulata | 4 |
6 – 8 | Sydney Golden Wattle | Acacia longifolia | 20 |
5 – 8 | Torwood | Eucalyptus ‘Torwood’ | 6 |
6 | Tree Strelitzia | Strelitzia nicolai | 4 |
8 | Weeping Bottlebrush | Castillemon viminalis | 6 |
6 – 9 | Weeping Lilly Pilly | Waterhousia floribunda | 6 |
Small Tree | |||
12 – 18 | African Tulip Tree | Spathodea campanulata | 10 |
15 | Alexander & | Archontophoenix | 6 |
Bangalow Palms | |||
10 – 12 | Arizona Cypress | Cupressus arizonica | 6 |
12 – 18 | Atlas cedar | Cedrus atlantica | 6 |
12 – 18 | Bhutan Cypress | Cupressus torulosa | 6 |
10 – 15 | Box Tree, Queensland Box, Tristania | Lophostemon confertus | 6 |
10 – 15 | Canary Island Date Palm | Phoenix canariensis | 20 |
20 | Cedar Wattle | Acacia elata | 10 |
10 – 12 | Chinese Elm | Ulmus parvifolia | 6 |
10 – 15 | Claret Ash | Fraxinus oxycarpa ‘Raywood’ | 20 |
10 – 12 | Cotton Palm | Washingtonia filifera | 6 |
10 – 12 | Cotton Palm | Washingtonia robusta | 6 |
15 – 25 | Cut-leaf Plane Tree | Platanus orientalis | 10 |
25 – 30 | Deodar Cedar | Cedrus deodara | 20 |
12 – 18 | Evergreen Ash | Fraxinus griffithii | 10 |
10 – 12 | Fiddlewood | Citharexylum spinosum | 6 |
15 | Gimlet | Eucalyptus salubris | 6 |
15 – 25 | Ginkgo, Maidenhair Tree | Ginkgo biloba | 6 |
12 – 18 | Golden Shower | Cassia fistula | 6 |
15 – 20 | Honey Locust, Frisia | Gleditsia | 10 |
25 | Illawarra Plum | Podocarpus elatus | 10 |
10 – 12 | Jacaranda | Jacaranda mimosifolia | 6 |
10 – 15 | Kaffir Plum | Harpephyllum caffrum | 20 |
12 | Leopard Tree | Caesalpinia ferrea | 6 |
10 – 12 | Lilly Pilly | Acmena smithii | 20 |
20 | Liquidambar | Liquidambar styraciflua | 20 |
10 – 15 | London Plane | Platanus x acerifolia | 10 |
15 – 20 | Marri, Pink Marri | Corymbia (Eucalyptus) calophylla | 20 |
20 – 30 | Monterey Cypress | Cupressus macrocarpa | 6 |
10 – 12 | Moreton Bay Chestnut | Castonospermum australe | 8 |
15 | Narrow-leaved Peppermint | Eucalyptus nicholii | 6 |
12 | New Zealand Xmas Tree | Metrosideros tomentosa | 6 |
12 | Red-freckled Gum | Eucalyptus lane-poolei | 6 |
20 – 30 | River Sheoak | Casuarina cunninghamiana | 20 |
10 – 12 | Rose Sheoak | Allocasuarina torulosa | 6 |
10 – 12 | Salt River Gum | Eucalyptus sargentii | 20 |
12 – 18 | Shingle Oak | Casuarina equisetifolia | 20 |
12 – 18 | Silky Oak | Grevillea robusta | 20 |
25 | Silver Wattle | Acacia dealbata | 10 |
25 – 30 | Smooth-barked Apple Gum | Angophora costata | 20 |
15 – 20 | Swamp Oak | Casuarina obesa | 10 |
10 – 15 | Swamp or Bald Cypress | Taxodium distichum | 20 |
20 – 30 | Tasmanian Blackwood | Acacia melanoxylon | 20 |
15 – 20 | Tipu Tree, Pride of Bolivia Tipuana tipu | Tipuana tipu | 6 |
15 | Tuckeroo | Cupaniopsis anarcardioides | 4 |
20 | Tulip Tree | Liriodendrom tulipifera | 6 |
14 | WA Peppermint | Agonis flexuosa | 6 |
10 – 12 | Wallangarra White Gum | Eucalyptus scoparia | 6 |
These trees are not suggested for urban gardens
COMMON NAME | BOTANICAL NAME |
---|---|
Alder | Alnus |
Bay Tree | Laurus nobilis |
Camphor Laurel | Cinnamomum camphora |
Coastal Blackbutt, Prickly Bark | Eucalyptus todtiana |
Figs | Ficus species |
Flooded Gum | Eucalyptus rudis |
Japanese Pepper Tree | Schinus terebinthifolius |
Lemon-scented Gum | Corymbia (Eucalyptus) citriodora |
Mugga Ironbark | Eucalyptus sideroxylon ‘Rosea’ |
Norfolk Pine | Araucaria heterophylla |
Poplars | Populus |
River Gum | Eucalyptus camaldulensis |
Rose Gum | Eucalyptus grandis |
Salmon Gum | Eucalyptus salmonophloia |
Southern Blue Gum, Eurabbie | Eucalyptus globulus |
Southern Mahogany | Eucalyptus botryoides |
Spotted Gum | Corymbia (Eucalyptus) maculata |
Sugar Gum | Eucalyptus cladocalyx |
Swamp Mahogany | Eucalyptus robusta |
Tamarisk | Tamarix aphylla |
Tasmanian Blue Gum | Eucalyptus globulus |
Tuart | Eucalyptus gomphocephala |
Virgilia | Virgilia |
Willows | Salix |
Wollemi Pine | Wollemia nobilis |
Yellow Box | Eucalyptus melliodora |