If you’re planning to plant some trees around your pool, it’s important to choose the right type of tree. While trees can provide shade and add to the overall aesthetic of your pool area, some trees are not well-suited for this purpose.
For instance, trees with invasive root systems can cause significant damage to your pool’s foundation and plumbing over time. Similarly, trees that produce a lot of debris, such as leaves, flowers, or fruit, can create a maintenance nightmare for pool owners.
Additionally, trees that attract bees, wasps, or other stinging insects can pose a safety risk for swimmers. Therefore, it’s important to research the trees you’re considering planting around your pool and choose ones that are appropriate for the environment.
Some good options include small evergreens, such as junipers or cypress, or deciduous trees with non-invasive root systems, like dogwoods or Japanese maples. By selecting the right trees for your pool area, you can create a beautiful and safe outdoor space that you can enjoy for years to come.
Excess Pool Debris and Root Problems
Having nice shade trees around a swimming pool can make your landscape stand out, however you must choose your plants and trees carefully.
Excess pool debris from trees can include lots of ‘leaf litter’, excessive pollen, berries, or budding flowers. This buildup can cause extra work for you and your pool filter.
Additionally, trees with large root systems can damage pool walls, pool plumbing, and decks.
The Worst Trees For Pools
Some trees are constantly shedding buds, flowers, leaves and bark. With a little wind, this can fill your pool with debris.
Deciduous trees are not necessarily bad, but will give the backyard a bare appearance during winter. Small leaves from a willow or maple tree can be fairly manageable, but large leaves can clog skimmers and cleaners. 
Most trees grow root systems of about the same size as the tree branch systems. Some trees have very aggressive roots that can damage pool walls or vinyl liners when planted too close to in-ground pool. In some instances, the root system becomes so large it can break up concrete structures.
- Ash
- Cottonwood
- Elm
- Eucalyptus
- Mulberry
- Oak
- Pine
- Poplar
- Walnut Trees
The Best Trees
The best trees to plant around a pool include:
- Acacia
- Banana
- Citrus
- Evergreens (arbor vitae, cypress, spruce)
- Holly and Magnolia (also evergreen)
- Olive trees (non fruit bearing)
- Succulents (cactus, stonecrop, leatherpetal)
Wrapping Up
I don’t want to spend all my time outside cleaning my pool gutters and traps. I’d rather be lounging by the pool, drinking a cool beverage under a shade tree.
Debris from plants and trees is common, but can be minimized with the a little landscape planning and good placement around your pool. Ryno Lawn Care offers landscape design services and maintenance for your home or business. Call now or click here for a free consultation.
19 Responses
THANK YOU! I have been trying to find a list of trees to not have near my pool. I was arguing with the neighbor who tried telling me that his newly planted ash trees would not cause an issue with my pool. He hasn’t planted them yet but I want to make sure he doesn’t plant them right up against the fence because they will be too close to my pool!
DO NOT make the mistake of planting an oleander near a swimming pool unless you’re using a large cast concrete pot!! While quite pretty when in flower, their roots seek out moisture, they constantly drop leaves, and they are EXTREMELY poisonous – all parts!!
thank you so much I was about to plant 30 orleander trees because I was told they are the best ones to plant near a pool
Awesome. Thank you for the information. I’ll be planting some orange and lime trees around my pool. I have been wondering this for a while.
I have a 7 foot avocado in a container, I want to plant. The only Space is 12 feet from my inground pool. Well the roots Eventually reach and damage my poor wall Structure?
12 feet is far enough away. It’s recommended to plant at least 10 feet from the pool.
Hi Victoria, we had to remove an avocado tree by our pool. It grew to be quite large and the roots weren’t a problem but the leaves, flowers and pollen created horrible issues. I cannot recommend planting an avocado tree within 12 feet of a pool. Best of luck on your yard though!
My yard has no shade. I have small pool. I dont want to spend my time cleaning out leaves. Does anybody have experience with non-fruit producing olive trees? Do they grow well in south Louisiana? Do they provide nice shade. What is name of tree?
We have a “non-fruit” olive tree next to our pool….unfortunately no one told it ( the tree) that it was as non fruit bearing tree….so we have olives on the ground and around the pool at least 3 months of the year. Then we have the flowers from the tree another couple of months and finally the roots are up ending my brick walkway. With that said it is very attractive and provides shade year round……so I would really make certain it is a nonfruit beating tree and watch for any shallow roots cutting them out asap
I had a mimosa tree planted near my pool about 20 ft. and it was messy, had to be constantly cleaning the flowers and leaves from the skimmer during the Summer. It was a great shade but a lot of work. I had it cut this year (6/2020) I miss it, but what a relief!
Good addition. Thanks for the comment.
I need to plant some type of trees or hedges around my swimming pool and back yard. What do you recommend? I don’t want it to have a lot of leaf drooping or a big root system.
Thuji arborvitaes are great, as are Spartan Juniper trees. No mess, compact and upright (less loss of yard), and good privacy hedge to 15-20ft high (good for 2nd story neighbors). You can even trim them back with a hedge trimmer or remove lower branches for more space underneath them.
I would not suggest planting a magnolia tree near a pool. One of the messiest trees ever! Beautiful, but messy – it is green year round but sheds year round.
Need to add a tall shrub or small tree that will have minimal pool leaf litter to cover a 4 foot tall privacy fence, 6 feet from the pool. Just don’t want to see our new neighbors while I relax. I live in SC on the waterway so we do get heavy winds at times. Really love hibiscus and birds of paradise.and ideas?
Very informative and need content for people having pool, thanks for sharing.
Try a sweet bay magnolia… very small leaves and a beautiful multi truck tree , fast growing and very well around pools . I have a friend that has 3 on the shallow end of his pool and they have very little leaf liter and great shade
What I cannot believe is one tree you did not have in the top listed trees to NOT have by your pool is a River Birch tree. I just cut one down. It was a living nightmare near my pool. Loses leaves every day throughout the entire year and the seedlings that fall in the Spring are absolutely horrible.
hi, unfortunately we have a eucalyptus tree shedding near our pool… I now have a cover, but is there anything that will dissolve the oil/debris the pump doesn’t seem to be able to cope with