Landscaping in Rockville, MD: Small Trees and Shrubs, Less Aggressive Root Systems

If you’re looking to add small trees or shrubs to you landscaping in Rockville, MD – choose those with less aggressive root systems. That’s because aggressive root systems can cause some severe damage to your hardscapes.

The bottom line is that choosing slow-growing small trees or bushes with less aggressive root systems species for your landscaping in Rockville MD – along with properly preparing the planting site – helps to protect your hardscapes.

Site Preparation
You should plant your small trees or shrubs at least 10 feet away from your hardscapes. If you decide that you’d like to install a root barrier around your tree, the barrier should extend at least 2 feet below the soil surface. It should be at least 5 feet away from both the hardscaping and the tree’s planting hole and should extend along the entire length of the hardscaping near the tree.

Slow-Growing Deciduous Trees with Less Aggressive Root Systems
The following can be usually be planted 10 feet away from your hardscaping, without causing problems:

Japanese maple cultivars
Ilex species
Several types of magnolias
Carolina buckthorn
Quince
Wintersweet
Acoma crape myrtle
Certain crabapples
Hoptree
Stewartia
Weeping Higan and Hally Jolivette cherries

Slow-Growing Evergreen Trees with Maximum Height Under 20 Feet
Certain slow-growing trees with a maximum height under 20 feet are unlikely to damage hardscaping and offer year-round foliage.

Boxwood tree
Dr. Hurd manzanita
Tea-oil
Yennan camelia
Mediterranean fan palm
Akapuka, variegatum Japanese privet
Evergreen magnolias
Some omanthus and photinia species or varieties
Cabbage palm
Awabuki sweet viburnum
Weeping blue atlas cedar
Chinese and Japanese plum yews
Fernspray cypress
Slender hinoki cypress.

For more information on landscaping in Rockville MD, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. For over 30 years, East Coast Landscape Design has been Rockville, MD’s leading licensed landscape contractor. Located in Montgomery County, Maryland since 1979, the company has designed, installed, and cared for landscape projects and irrigation systems.