Charlotte County, FL Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

Sec. 3(m) of the Charlotte County Code states plainly that planting any prohibited species of tree identified in the most recent edition of the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council's Invasive Plant List as a Category I species is strictly prohibited, while planting a Category II species is strongly discouraged. The definitions section of the same landscaping and tree chapter, Sec. 3-9-100(b), backs this up: it defines prohibited tree as a tree of undesirable or exotic species which disrupts natural habitats or is otherwise destructive, specifically naming Category I species as prohibited and requiring that any Category I tree found on a development site be removed during site preparation.

Category II species are highly discouraged and cannot be counted toward a development's minimum tree point requirement even if preserved. The tree-removal rules reinforce the ban from the other direction: Sec. 3(h)(1)c exempts Category I and II trees from the county's tree removal authorization and per-caliper-inch fee requirements, meaning a property owner can clear an invasive tree without a permit or fee, unlike a protected native tree. The code also singles out one species by name in Sec. 3(n): planting a banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) within 50 feet of any structure or right-of-way is prohibited outright, regardless of FLEPPC category, because of the species' aggressive root system.

The county's approved species exhibit even flags Ligustrum by name as the only Ligustrum species not found on the FLEPPC invasive list, underscoring how closely the ordinance tracks that list rather than banning a genus wholesale.