Planting near sewer pipes

Avoid planting certain trees, plants and shrubs near sewer pipes

Tree roots love sewer pipes, but they can cause serious damage.

To protect your pipes, you should avoid planting certain trees, plants and shrubs nearby.

Your local nursery or an arborist can give great advice.

We’ve also created a simple guide to help you make smart choices.

Trees, plants and shrubs to avoid

Botanical name	Common name	Damage rating
Cinnamomum camphora	Camphor Laurel	Extreme
Ficus species	Fig trees and rubber plants	Extreme
Populus species	Poplars	Extreme
Salix species	Willows	Extreme
Erythrina species	Coral trees	Very high
Eucalyptus species	Large gum trees	Very high
Jacaranda mimosifolia	Jacaranda	Very high
Liquidambar styraciflua	Liquidambar	Very high
Araucaria species	Norfolk Island and Bunya pines	Very high
Brachychiton acerifolium	Illawarra flame tree	Very high
Casuarina species	Casuarinas	Very high
Melia azedarach	Australian white cedar	Very high
Pinus species	Pine trees	Very high
Platanus acerifolia	Plane tree	Very high
Schinus molle	Pepper tree	Very high
Ulmus species	Elms	Very high
Bougainvillea species	Bougainvilleas	High
Cortaderia selloana	Pampas grass	High
Grevillea robusta	Silky oak	High
Ilex species	Hollies	High
Lagunaria patersonii	Norfolk Island hibiscus	High
Ligustrum species	Privets	High
Magnolia species	Magnolias	High
Nerium oleander	Oleander	High
Phoenix canariensis	Canary Island date palm	High
Phyllostachus species	Bamboos	High
Toxicodendron species	Rhus trees	High
Lophostemon confetus	Brush Box, Tristania	High
Wisteria species	Wisteria	High

Problems in the sewerage system usually happen inside the pipes, stopping sewage from flowing away from your home.

If you have a blockage, there are a few steps you can take to try and fix the problem.

How do I fix a sewer blockage?

If you have questions, get in touch: 

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