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Can a Camellia tree be planted right over a PVC pipe?

dan8_gw (Northern California Zone 9A)

7 years ago

So I was helping my sister dig up a big rose bush at her new house, and about a foot down there is PVC pipe. The PVC pipe extend right into where a 6 foot camellia tree is planted. The tree and pipe is about 6 feet away from the house. I believe it is a lawn sprinkler PVC pipe and they planted the camellia and rose right into the lawn.

The Camellia tree is pretty big, I would like to keep it since it looks nice but am afraid it'll be a problem when it gets larger? I've seen Camellias here that are like 15 feet tall so they can be huge.

Featured Answer

Babka NorCal 9b

7 years ago

We've been here in NorCal for over 40 years with PVC 3/4" sched 40 irrigation pipes. running everywhere. We've probably dug up most every shrub/tree twice over those years. Never, ever have seen any damage from roots to the pipes. The only damage to the pipes has been from our picaxe when we try to dig up old plants.
But that is easily repaired. The roots just grow around them, as they would a rock in the soil. So, YES, fear not. Oh, and by the way, you can prune the Camellias to about any height. I have a bunch that are 7' tall espaliered against a fence.

-Babka

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Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
7 years ago
call miss dig .. or whatever they call it in your area ... AND FIND OUT WHATS UNDERGROUND ...

though they wont know about irrigation ..

ken
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
15" may seem tree-like but camellias are just large growing shrubs :-) And like many other members of the order Ericales, they have an oxygen demanding so quite shallow root system. It is also not at all aggressive or damaging so doubt you have worries about the roots interfering with the pipe. It IS important to know what the pipe is for however, as any repairs that may be required, be it plumbing or irrigation, is likely to result in damage to the camellia rather than the other way around.
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Logan L Johnson
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it should be just fine as long as the pipe never has to be replaced. Why did you remove the rosebush?
dan8_gw (Northern California Zone 9A)
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks everyone,

Ken, I've already had the yard marked but they do not know about irrigation.

Gardengal, it's definitely a sprinkler PVC Pipe, and yeah I would feel bad if I had to lose the Camellia because it's a healthy looking tree.

Logan, I do hear PVC pipes can last a really long time, just unsure how tree roots right on top of them would affect them though. I dug out the rose because it's one of the wild looking ones where the top died off and it's just the rootstock going crazy with awful looking flowers.
dan8_gw (Northern California Zone 9A)
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks Babka, You've eased my fears! I guess in the worse case scenario I would lose the tree from digging at it's roots. That may be years and years from now, so it's better than losing the Camellia now. The tree will stay!
Mike McGarvey
7 years ago
As a Landscaper I did a lot of yard makeovers. Never did I see a tree or shrub damage a sprinkler pipe. Old segmented leaking sewer pipes, yes. And when a large tree topples from the wind and the rootball takes a pipe with it.

Our crew damaged a few PVC pipes also. Well, quite a few. :-)

Mike...retired

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