Tree roots will not grow through anything that is solid enough, including the concrete foundations of a modern building.
Consider that tree roots won’t grow through a cheap plastic pot: they can only push against the sides of the holes that are already at the bottom.

However, tree roots can do two things over time:

• Exploit significant existing cracks in old or damaged concrete
• Lift small enough structures, for example the foundation of a light structure like a garden shed or wall, or the slabs of a concrete driveway. This tends to create cracks eventually

Drain Pipes and Septic Tank

Willow, Alder, and Poplar trees are a risk for drainage and sewage pipes

Which trees are safest around vulnerable concrete?

The safest trees around potentially vulnerable concrete have more fibrous root systems, and either naturally aren’t very big, or will be pruned to restrict their size (which is the case with a hedge).

So the perfect choices for planting close to vulnerable concrete are going to be naturally small conifers such as Korean Fir or Blue Spruce.

But if you are going to clip the trees into a hedge or screen at a fixed size, then you should look at:

• Yew
• Thuja plicata
• Norway Spruce
• Lawson’s Cypress

And possibly Leylandii, the fastest growing conifer in the UK.