Planting an ornamental maple tree close to the house - Ask Extension
Hi, folks, what is a good distance to plant a Japanese Maple tree from the house, considering root damage to the basement wall?
Knowledgebase
Planting an ornamental maple tree close to the house #919735
Asked October 11, 2025, 6:23 PM EDT
Hi, folks, what is a good distance to plant a Japanese Maple tree from the house, considering root damage to the basement wall?
Adams County Colorado
Expert Response
Michael,
It really is dependent on the mature size of the tree. Ideally you want a tree to be at least twice as far from the house as its mature size, tree roots grow 2-5x the length of the height of the tree. That said, many yards are small and this isn't always a possible distance, if you look at the mature spread of the tree and double the distance to the house you'll reduce chances of branch damage to the home. Finally, tree roots only grow where there is both space and water, so as long as you are not watering in the 5-10 feet around your foundation it is unlikely that tree roots will grow that direction. I hope that helps, let me know if you have additional questions!
It really is dependent on the mature size of the tree. Ideally you want a tree to be at least twice as far from the house as its mature size, tree roots grow 2-5x the length of the height of the tree. That said, many yards are small and this isn't always a possible distance, if you look at the mature spread of the tree and double the distance to the house you'll reduce chances of branch damage to the home. Finally, tree roots only grow where there is both space and water, so as long as you are not watering in the 5-10 feet around your foundation it is unlikely that tree roots will grow that direction. I hope that helps, let me know if you have additional questions!
