Detroit, MI Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

Under the landscaping and screening standards that apply to new construction, building additions, and off-street parking projects citywide, Detroit's zoning code lists twelve tree species that cannot be planted to meet required landscaping without special review and approval from the Recreation Department. The list targets weak-wooded, disease-prone, and weedy species such as silver maple, boxelder, cottonwood/aspen/poplar, black locust, willow, American elm, Siberian elm, and Catalpa. The rule sits within Chapter 50's broader plant-quality standards, which also cap any single species at 50 percent of total plantings on a site.