Cary, NC Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard
- native or non-invasive plantings only
- Applies to
- required perimeter buffers, landscape areas
- Citation
- Cary LDO § 7.2.3(A)(1)
- Penalty
- fines, replanting, stop-work orders
- Current through
- 2025-CODE-02 (May 22, 2025)
Summary
The Town of Cary's Land Development Ordinance requires new landscape material installed in required perimeter buffers to be native or non-invasive non-native, drought-tolerant plantings rather than invasive species.
Whenever new landscape material must be used, such material shall consist of native or non-invasive non-native, drought-tolerant plantings to reduce the need for irrigation systems and promote restoration of a natural forest.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2023 S-87_S-57: Current through local ordinance 2022-Code-05, passed 11-17-2022 and effective 11-17-2022 | LDO: Current through local ordinance 2022-LDO-04, passed 11-17-22 and effective 11-17-22).
Full Breakdown
The Town of Cary's Land Development Ordinance requires perimeter buffer landscaping under LDO Section 7.2.3(A)(1): whenever new landscape material must be installed in a required perimeter buffer, it must consist of native or non-invasive non-native, drought-tolerant plantings, intended to reduce irrigation needs and promote restoration of natural forest. Rather than naming individual banned species, Cary sets a performance standard that landscaping plans reviewed under LDO Section 7.2 must meet. It applies town-wide, including the portion of Cary in Chatham County as well as Wake County, and is current through local ordinance 2025-CODE-02, effective May 22, 2025.
Violations & Fines
Violations of LDO Section 7.2 draw fines, mandatory replacement of damaged or noncompliant vegetation, stop-work orders, or a combination of the penalties listed in LDO Section 7.2.13 or Chapter 11.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Cary ban specific invasive plant species by name?
Where in Cary does this landscaping rule apply?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cary
Compare Cary to another location·View the North Carolina invasive plant rules overview
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Prohibited Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Wake County handle prohibited species.