Outdoor plant guide: What not to grow near your house

Before planting near your house, it’s essential to ensure that it won’t damage your property. While these plants can enhance your home’s appearance, it’s important to consider if the potential damage is worth it. Here are a few plants you should avoid:

Plants that require high water needs should be planted further away from the house at a distance greater than their maximum height. This is done to avoid damaging the house foundation and putting it at risk.

Ivy

Climbing plants, such as ivies, can enhance the beauty of your yard and attract wildlife, making them a valuable addition to your garden. However, when planted against the walls of your house, they can quickly block gutters and create issues. The plants grow against the walls and form roots within them. Even after removal, remnants of the roots can remain attached, leading to an unsightly appearance and potential damage to the brickwork.

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Cypress

Cypress trees are strikingly attractive due to their height. However, they have a high water demand and are often planted in poorly drained soils to help alleviate moisture. This can lead to problems near houses, as the soil may contract and potentially damage the foundations.

Willows

Willows are majestic, moisture-loving trees and shrubs. However, not all willows grow large, so it’s important to consider their size before planting them close to your house. They are among the thirstiest plants in the plant kingdom. Willows have tough, adventitious roots that actively seek out water, which can often harm drainage systems. Additionally, these plants are known for extending their shallow roots deep into the soil in search of water.

Eucalyptus

Just like the willow trees, these fast-growing trees are thirsty and should be planted away from the house. This is to prevent the roots from drawing too much water from the soil around the foundation of your house. Eucalyptus trees can also drop branches more often than other trees, which could damage your house or injure someone.

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Poorly chosen plants can cause their roots to affect your foundation, pull off your shingles, block your windows, attract pests, and make your entry less welcoming to visitors.

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