Invasive Plant Rules in Allentown, PA (2026)
2 verified invasive plant rules for Allentown, Pennsylvania, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Bamboo Restrictions
Planting, growing or maintaining running bamboo anywhere in Allentown is prohibited unless it predates the 2017 ordinance and the owner keeps every root system at least 20 feet from property lines, easements and rights-of-way behind a buried, high-density polyethylene barrier. Letting bamboo spread onto a neighbor's property is also banned.
Allentown Running Bamboo Ban and Barrier Rule
Heavy RestrictionsCity of Allentown Code § 393-9C (Neighborhood Improvement)
Any property who, with respect to running bamboo, plants, grows, maintains, or allows any of the same on the property, or who permits running bamboo to spread from or to an adjoining property, shall be prohibited unless said owner can establish to the reasonable satisfaction of the City or court that the following conditions are met: (a) Such running bamboo existed at its then present location ...
Prohibited Species
Any landscaping the City's zoning code requires, from street trees to buffer plantings, must skip invasive or potentially invasive species entirely under § 660-71's installation standards, which also set minimum plant sizes and require nationally accepted nursery practices.
Allentown Bars Invasive Species From Required Landscaping
Some RestrictionsCity of Allentown Zoning Ordinance § 660-71.C(5) (Ord. No. 16166, adopted Oct. 15, 2025, effective Jan. 1, 2026)
Condition and selection of planting materials. The plant materials used must be free from visible signs of disease, infestation, or physical defect at the time of planting. Plant materials must be appropriate for the conditions of the location, including sun and wind exposure, air quality, salt exposure, soil type, expected moisture content of soil, and slope. Plant materials must not be an inv...
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County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Allentown city rules.
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