Selecting the right tree

Trees and shrubs are an important part of our built environment, however if they’re not carefully chosen they may cause problems below ground.

The roots of some trees and shrubs can damage sewer pipes and underground services. Trees and shrubs rely on their roots to find moisture and nutrients. Your property’s sewer pipes can be an attractive moisture source.

A small hairline fracture in a pipe is all a root needs to get in. Once inside the pipe the root can grow quickly, causing a reduction in flow and potentially a complete blockage. Often complete sections of pipe need to be replaced which can be expensive.

Homes over 15 years old are particularly at risk as they are less likely to have PVC sewerage pipes, which aren’t as prone to leakage and tree root damage.

Finding the right tree

To help you in choosing the most appropriate tree or shrub to plant at your property we have put together a list of some common options. This will give you an idea of plants average mature height range and recommended minimum planting distance from any sewer pipe.

Why not be waterwise as well?

Waterwise trees, once established in improved soil, will need watering no more than once a week. Many of these trees will flourish over the long, hot summer months with only the bare minimum of water. Trees that are waterwise have been labelled in the below table. To learn more about the best waterwise plants for your garden visit our waterwise plant search.

Use these lists as a guide only

These lists are intended to be used as a guide to assist you in the planting of trees or shrubs on your property. Please take care when planting any trees and shrubs as you may be liable if there is any property damage as a result.

List of common small trees and shrubs and their recommended planting distance from sewer pipes.
Mature heigh range (metres)	Waterwise status	Common name	Botanical name	Suggested minimum distance from any sewer pipe (metres)
3-5	-	Apple	Malus	2
4-5	-	Apricot, Peach & Nectarine	Prunus	6
4-5	-	Avocado	Persea	2
3-5	Yes	Banksia	Banksia species	4
3-4	Yes	Bell-fruited Mallee	Eucalyptus preissiana	4
3-5	Yes	Coarse-leaved Mallee	Eucalyptus grossa	4
3-5	-	Crab Apple	Malus	2
5	Yes	Crepe Myrtle	Lagerstroemia indica	4
4	Yes	Flinders Range Wattle	Acacia iteaphylla	6
4-10	Yes	Forman's Mallee	Eucalyptus formanii	4
3-4	Yes	Four-winged Mallee	Eucalyptus tetraptera	2
4-6	Yes	Fox Tail Palm	Wodyetia bifurcate	6
4	Yes	Frangipani	Plumeria	2
3-4	Yes	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	4
4-5	Yes	Judas Tree	Cercis silaquastris	4
4-5	Yes	Kings Park Bottlebrush	Callistemon 'Kings Park Special'	4
4-6	Yes	Kingsmill's Mallee	Eucalyptus kingsmillii	4
3-4	Yes	Kruse's Mallee	Eucalyptus kruseana	2
4-6	Yes	Little Ghost Gum	Eucalyptus victrix	4
4-5	Yes	Loquat	Eriobotrya	4
4-6	-	Mango	Mangifera	6
3-5	Yes	Melaleuca	Small shrub forms	6
4	Yes	Mottlecah	Eucalyptus macrocarpa	4
4-6	Yes	Mudgee Wattle	Acacia spectabilis	4
5	Yes	Narrow leaved Red Mallee	Eucalyptus foecunda	4
4-6	Yes	Olive	Olea	6
4-5	-	Ornamental Cherry, Peach, Plum	Prunus	6
4-5	-	Pagoda Tree	Sophora japonica	6
5	Yes	Pear-fruited Mallee	Eucalyptus pyriformis	4
4-6	Yes	Pincushion Hakea	Hakea laurina	2
4-5	-	Plum	Prunus	6
4-5	Yes	Red-flowered Moort	Eucalyptus nutans	4
4-10	Yes	Ridge-fruited Mallee	Eucalyptus angulosa	4
3-4	Yes	Rose Mallee	Eucalyptus rhodantha	4
3-5	Yes	Scarlet Pear Gum	Eucalyptus stoatei	4
3-5	Yes	Spearwood Mallee	Eucalyptus doratoxylon	4
3-4	Yes	Tallerack	Eucalyptus x tetragona	2
3-5	Yes	Tree Daphne, Pom Pom Tree	Dais cotinifolia	2
4-6	-	Triangle Palm	Dypsis decaryi	6
4-5	-	Umbrella Tree	Schefflera actinophylla	20
4	Yes	Webster's Mallee	Eucalyptus websteriana	2
4-6	Yes	Weeping Gum	Eucalyptus sepulcralis	10
4-8	Yes	Weeping Pittosporum	Pittosporum phylliraeoides	6
5	Yes	Willow Bottlebrush	Callistemon salignus	4

List of common medium trees and shrubs and their recommended planting distance from sewer pipes.
Mature heigh range (metres)	Waterwise status	Common name	Botanical name	Suggested minimum distance from any sewer pipe (metres)
6-8	Yes	African Red Alder, Butter-Knife Bush	Cunonia capensis	6
6-9	-	Almond	Prunus	6
5-8	-	Birch, Silver Birch	Betula	4
8-10	Yes	Black Locust, Pink Wisteria Tree Mop Top	Robinia	20
8-10	Yes	Black Wattle	Acacia decurrens	10
8	Yes	Blue Mallet	Eucalyptus gardneri	6
10	Yes	Blueberry Ash	Elaeocarpus reticulatus	4
6-8	-	Box Elder	Acer negundo	6
6	Yes	Burdet Gum	Eucalyptus burdettiana	4
6	Yes	Bushy Yate, Bald Island Marlock	Eucalyptus conferruminata	4
8	-	Butterfly Tree	Bauhinia	4
6	Yes	Caesia	Eucalyptus caesia	6
10	Yes	Cape Chestnut	Calodendron capense	6
8-10	Yes	Cape Lilac, White Cedar	Melia azedarach	20
5-8	Yes	Carob Tree	Ceratonia siliqua	6
6-8	-	Castwellan Gold, Leighton's Green	Cupressocyparis leylandii	6
10	Yes	Chinese Pistacio	Pistacio chinensis	6
8-10	Yes	Chinese Tallow	Triadica sebifera	2
7	Yes	Coastal Moort	Eucalyptus utilis	4
8	-	Cocos Palm	Syagrus romanzoffiana	6
6-12	Yes	Common Sheoak	Allocasuarina fraseriana	6
8	Yes	Coolibah	Eucalyptus microtheca	6
6	Yes	Cootamundra Wattle	Acacia baileyana	6
8	Yes	Coral Gum	Eucalyptus torquate	4
6	Yes	Cottonwood	Hibiscus tiliaceus	4
6-8	Yes	Drooping Sheoak	Allocasuarina verticillata	20
8	Yes	Dwarf Sugar Gum	Eucalyptus cladocalyx 'Nana'	6
7	Yes	Evergreen Magnolia	Magnolia grandiflora	6
5-8	-	Flame Tree, Coral Tree	Erythrina - All	20
6-8	Yes	Golden Wattle	Acacia pycnantha	4
7	Yes	Gossamer Wattle, White Sallow Wattle	Acacia floribunda	4
8	Yes	Illyarrie, Red Capped Gum	Eucalyptus erythrocorys	6
6-12	Yes	Indian Bean	Catalpa bigonioides	6
6-8	Yes	Irish Strawberry Tree	Arbutus unnedo	6
5-8	-	Jelly Palm	Butia capitata	6
5-10	-	Kanooka, Water Gum	Tristaniopsis laurina	6
10	Yes	Kurrajongs	Brachychiton	6
8-10	Yes	Lemon-flowered Gum	Eucalyptus woodwardii	6
6-8	Yes	Macadamia	Macadamia	6
5-10	Yes	Melaleuca	Tree & large shrub forms	10
5-10	Yes	Mulberry	Morus	6
6-9	Yes	Native Daphne	Pittosporum undulatum	6
8-15	Yes	Native Frangipani	Hymenosporum flavum	4
10	Yes	Norfolk Island Hibiscus	Lagunaria patersonii	10
8-10	-	Oaks	Quercus	20
6-9	Yes	Ornamental Pears	Pyrus	6
6-12	Yes	Pecan	Carya	6
5-8	Yes	Pencil Pine, Golden Pencil Pine	Cupressus sempervirens 'Stricta'	2
9-15	Yes	Pepper Corn Tree	Schinus molle	20
5-8	Yes	Photinia	Photinia serrulata	6
10	Yes	Pink-flowered Yellow Gum	Eucalyptus leucoxylon 'Rosea'	6
5-8	-	Poinciana	Delonix regia	6
6-8	Yes	Port Lincoln Gum	Eucalyptus lansdowneana	6
8-10	Yes	Powton, Princess Tree	Paulownia	20
9-12	Yes	Queensland Fire Wheel Tree	Stenocarpus sinuatus	4
6	Yes	Queensland Silver Wattle	Acacia Podalyriifolia	6
9	Yes	Red Flowered Gum	Corymbia (Eucalyptus) ficifolia	6
6	Yes	Red-flowered Mallee	Eucalyptus erythronema	4
7	Yes	River Yate, Long-flowered Marlock	Eucalyptus macrandra	4
6-8	Yes	Rottnest Pine	Callitris preisii	6
6-8	Yes	Round-leaved Snow or Spinning Gum	Eucalyptus perriniana	6
6	Yes	Silver Princess	Eucalyptus caesia subsp. magna	4
8-10	Yes	Silver-topped Gimlet	Eucalyptus Campaspe	6
7	Yes	Southern Cross Silver Mallee	Eucalyptus cruces	4
6-8	Yes	Steedman's Gum	Eucalyptus steedmanii	6
8	Yes	Strickland Gum	Eucalyptus stricklandii	6
8	Yes	Swamp Mallet	Eucalyptus spathulata	4
6-8	Yes	Sydney Golden Wattle	Acacia longifolia	20
5-8	Yes	Torwood	Eucalyptus 'Torwood'	6
6	Yes	Tree Strelizia	Strelitzia Nicolai	4
8	Yes	Weeping Bottlebrush	Castillemon viminalis	6
6-9	-	Weeping Lilly Pilly	Waterhousia floribunda	6

List of common Large trees and shrubs and their recommended planting distance from sewer pipes.
Mature height range (metres)	Waterwise status	Common name	Botanical name	Suggested minimum distance from any sewer pipe (metres)
12-18	Yes	AfricanTulip	Spathodea campanulata	10
15	Yes	Alexander & Bangalow Palms	Archontophoenix	6
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	Yes	Canary Island Date Palm	Phoenix canariensis	20
20	Yes	Cedar Wattle	Acacia elata	10
10-12	-	Chinese Elm	Ulmus parvifolia	6
10-15	Yes	Claret Ash	Fraxinus oxycarpa 'Raywood'	20
10-12	Yes	Cotton Palm	Washintonia filifera	6
10-12	Yes	Cotton Palm	Washintonia robusta	6
15-25	-	Cut-leaf Plane Tree	Platanus orientalis	10
25-30	-	Deodar Cedar	Cedrus deodara	20
12-18	Yes	Evergreen Ash	Fraxinus griffithii	10
10-12	Yes	Fiddlewood	Citharexylum spinosum	6
15	Yes	Gimlet	Eucalyptus salubris	6
15-25	-	Ginkgo, Maidenhair Tree	Ginkgo biloba	6
12-18	-	Golden Shower	Cassia fistula	6
15-25	Yes	Honey Locust, Frisia	Gleditsia	10
25	Yes	Illawarra Plum	Podocarpus elatus	10
10-12	Yes	Jacaranda	Jacaranda mimosifolia	6
10-15	Yes	Kaffir Plum	Harpephyllum caffrum	20
12	-	Leopard Tree	Caesalpinia ferrea	6
10-12	Yes	Lilly Pilly	Acmena smithii	20
20	Yes	Liquidambar	Liquidambar styraciflua	20
10-15	Yes	London Plane	Platanus x acerifolia	10
15-20	Yes	Marri, Pink Marri	Carymbia (Eucalyptus) calphylla	20
20-30	-	Monterey Cypress	Cupressus macrocarpa	6
10-12	Yes	Moreton Bay Chestnut	Castonospermum	8
15	Yes	Narrow-leaved Peppermint	Eucalyptus nicholii	6
12	Yes	New Zealand Xmas Tree	Metrosideros tomentose	6
12	Yes	Red-freckled Gum	Eucalyptus land-poolei	6
20-30	Yes	River Sheoak	Casuarina cunninghamiana	20
10-12	Yes	Rose Sheoak	Allocasuarina torulosa	6
10-12	Yes	Salt River Gum	Eucalyptus sargentii	20
12-18	Yes	Shingle Oak	Casuarina equisetifolia	20
12-18	Yes	Silky Oak	Grevillea robusta	20
25	Yes	Silver Wattle	Acacia dealbata	10
25-30	-	Smooth-barked Apple Gum	Angophora costata	20
15-20	Yes	Swamp Oak	Casuarina obesa	10
10-15	-	Swamp or Bald Cypress	Taxodium distichum	20
20-30	Yes	Tasmanian Blackwood	Acacia melanoxylon	20
15-20	Yes	Tipu Tree, Pride of Bolivia	Tipuana tipu	6
15	Yes	Tuckeroo	Cupaniopsis anarcardioides	4
20	-	Tulip Tree	Liriodendrom tulipifera	6
14	Yes	WA Peppermint	Agonis flexuosa	6
10-12	Yes	Wallangarra White Gum	Eucalyptus scoparia	6

A list of trees that 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) maculate
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

Finding the right tree

Why not be waterwise as well?

Use these lists as a guide only

Small trees

Medium trees

Large trees

These trees are not suggested for urban gardens

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