Prince George's County, MD Invasive Plant Rules: Bamboo Restrictions (2026)

Sec. 03 defines 'invasive bamboo' as bamboo characterized by aggressive spreading behavior, naming species in the genus Phyllostachys aureosulcata (yellow groove bamboo, also called running bamboo), plus Pleioblastus, Pseudosasa, and Bambusa. Sec. 04 bans three things outright: selling invasive bamboo, planting it, or letting it spread onto an adjoining property without proper upkeep and containment measures like barriers or trenches. Enforcement starts with a complaint: Sec. 05(a) lets an aggrieved person file a written complaint, including electronically, with the county. Once the county issues a notice of violation, the property owner has six months to begin containment measures and twenty-four months to finish them, though a one-time six-month extension is available on request once the owner shows containment progress or removal.

Beyond the containment deadlines, an owner found in violation must also mitigate any damage the bamboo has already caused on a neighbor's property, including the cost of removing bamboo that has spread past the property line. The Division was added by CB-072-2024.