Can Tree Roots Damage Retaining Walls?

While it doesn't seem likely that your tree roots could hurt a retaining wall, they actually can cause some issues. Since most of your tree's growth happens out of sight under the ground, the roots are sometimes able to creep under the retaining wall to crack or even upheave it entirely if it's too close.

How close can you plant a trees to a retaining wall?

Place shrubs a minimum of 2 times the wall height away from the wall. In addition, place trees at least as far away from the wall as the expected height of the tree when fully grown. So, for a Butterfly Japanese maple that reaches a height of 15-ft, plant the tree a minimum of 15-ft from the retaining wall.

Can you build a retaining wall near a tree?

Ideally, trees should be planted far away from retaining walls. ... Take the tree's mature height and plant it that far away from retaining wall landscaping areas. Trees and plants can soften the space around the wall, so it's natural to want to plant shrubs and bushes around the retaining wall.