Had a similar experience with a silver maple near our septic lines. Everyone warned me about maples being aggressive, but when we scoped the pipes, they were totally clear. Funny thing is, my neighbor had a fruit tree—think it was a plum—that caused way more trouble. Makes me wonder if it's not just species, but also soil conditions or pipe materials playing a bigger role than we realize...
Interesting observation about the plum tree causing more trouble than the maple—I've seen similar cases myself. Usually, it's not just the tree species but also how deep and old the pipes are, plus what they're made of (clay pipes are notorious). Makes me curious...did your neighbor's plum tree roots actually penetrate the pipes, or was it more about roots wrapping around and crushing them? Sometimes it's surprising how different root behaviors can be depending on soil moisture and pipe conditions.
From what I've seen, plum tree roots usually find their way into pipes through tiny cracks or loose joints rather than outright crushing them. Had a similar issue at a job last summer—older clay pipes, probably 40+ years old. The roots didn't exactly smash through, but they wormed their way into small openings and expanded inside the pipe, eventually causing blockages. Moisture definitely plays a role too; roots naturally seek out water sources, so if there's even a slight leak or condensation around the pipe joints, they'll head straight for it. Maple trees seem less aggressive in my experience, but plum and willow trees...those roots can be relentless.
Yeah, plum and willow roots are definitely notorious for that. But I'm curious—do you think soil type might also play a role? I've noticed in my yard, where the soil is heavier clay, roots seem to spread more aggressively toward moisture sources. Maybe the denser soil makes it harder for them to find water elsewhere, pushing them toward pipes? Just wondering if anyone else has seen something similar...
"Maybe the denser soil makes it harder for them to find water elsewhere, pushing them toward pipes?"
That's exactly what I've noticed too. In my experience, heavy clay soils compact easily, making it tougher for roots to penetrate deeply. Last summer, I worked on a property with similar soil conditions, and we found roots from a nearby willow literally wrapped around the septic lines. Seems like the roots were just desperately chasing moisture through any path of least resistance—unfortunately, that meant our pipes...
