Possibly, but don't know for certain. A tree care professional who's also a certified arborist may know.

But it's worth knowing that roots don't go after sewer and/or water lines. Instead, they grow where conditions are suitable.

So I suspect that if they have roots in their line, their line leaks.

Fifty feet? No way.

I just had a forty-year old oleander cut down and the stump ground out. The roots went beyond the drip line, but just barely.

It seems unlikely that any of these plants would invade a sewer line 50 feet away. Creeping fig, now that's a whole different story.

Like Jean said, if they have a root problem it is probably because they have old clay pipes that have lifted and developed gaps between the pipes, which lets the water (and other stuff) leak out.

I have 150 oleanders fifty years old and have never had a root problem. I hope your neighbor does not become your problem. Al

Help your neighbor take samples of the roots that are invading his sewer system. Go with him/her to laboratory that can do DNA analysis of plant tissue. Have him/her pay for the tests.

If they are oleander roots, pay to alleviate the damage of the sewer system, if there is any.

I'd bet that you won't get to the paying-for-damages point.

Joe

I've never seen oleander roots cause problems like that and we have dozens of oleanders planted by the city right next to sidewalks - and no cracks as a result.

Birds of Paradise roots can cause issues. My father in law cuts back the roots of his every 3-5 years which are planted next to the driveway because they break up the driveway concrete slab

That would be extremely unlikely. Oleander roots usually only grow to the plant's drip line that I'm aware of. I would be much more suspicious of a Giant Bird of Paradise, which can be pretty invasive, and even bougainvillea if it's old enough, large enough, and close enough. I think Joe has given you some sage advice - idenitify the plant root via DNA if that isn't too costly to make sure you know the culprit. DO the birds and bougainvillea belong to your neighbor??

Patty S.

The old clay sewer lines were always leaking at their joints and had a problem with roots. We had a house in SF out in the Parkside that every few years, the joint grass that was native to the sand would get into the pipe and we would have to pay to have it rooted out. Only digging up the pipe and sealing the joints, fixed the problem. Today with the material available, there is no excuse for putting up with a leaky old jointed pipe. Al