We get a significant number of calls about how close can trees be planted to sidewalks and driveways. I think most of us who have walked a sidewalk in a mature residential area has spotted cement walkways and sidewalks that are heaved up or have had to step over broken cement because of tree roots.
If you have a location you would like to plant a tree in and it is close (within 3 to 5 feet) to a sidewalk or driveway, here are some trees you should avoid. These trees are shallow rooted and may cause problems in the future. Norway maple (Acer platanoides), red maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), ash (Fraxinus spp.), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera), pin oak (Quercus palustris), poplars and cottonwoods (Populus spp.), willows (Salix spp.) and American elm (Ulmus americana) are examples of shallow rooted trees.