Lake County, FL Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LDR § 9.01.09, Prohibited Plant Species
- Planting ban
- Prohibited species can't be planted or counted as landscaping
- Removal trigger
- Development approval within 100 ft of principal structure
- Reference lists
- FLEPPC Cat. I & II, FAC 5B-64.011, F.S. 369.251(1)
- Named species
- Chinaberry, Ear Tree, Eucalyptus, Paper Mulberry, Silk Oak
- Enforcement
- Chapter 8 code enforcement, per-plant violations
Summary
Unincorporated Lake County bans planting invasive, non-native species listed on the county's Plant List, and Land Development Regulations Section 9.01.09 forces removal of specific plants like Chinaberry and Eucalyptus as a condition of any development approval near the home site.
9.01.09 Prohibited Plant Species. The control and elimination of invasive, non-native plant species helps protect the natural vegetative communities existing within Lake County. A.Planting. Prohibited plant species Shall not be planted or counted toward minimum tree or vegetation requirements. B.Prohibited Plants. Prohibited vegetation Shall be listed in the Plant List for Lake County based on the following sources: 1.Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council Category I & II List of Invasive Plant Species. 2.Prohibited Aquatic Plants per F.A.C. 5B-64.011, 3.Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, University of Florida, IFAS. C.Removal. Removal and eradication of Prohibited Plant Species listed below Shall be a condition of development approval on the parcel within one hundred (100) feet of principal structure(s) or up to fifty (50) feet from the overall limits of construction, whichever is greater.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 150).
Full Breakdown
09 declares that controlling and eliminating invasive, non-native plants protects Lake County's natural vegetative communities. Two rules follow. First, prohibited plant species cannot be planted anywhere in the unincorporated county, and even where they already exist they cannot be counted toward a project's required tree or landscaping totals. Second, when a parcel goes through development approval, the county requires removal and eradication of listed prohibited plants within 100 feet of the principal structure(s), or up to 50 feet beyond the overall limits of construction, whichever radius is larger.
C. 011, and the University of Florida IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. C. 251(1), and five species the ordinance names outright: Chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Ear Tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum), Eucalyptus species, Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), and Silk Oak (Grevillea robusta). All other listed prohibited plants are 'encouraged, but not required' to be removed. The removal duty does not reach into wetlands or natural water bodies regulated by a water management district or other agency without that agency's approval. The section was rewritten by Ordinance No. 2012-27 (April 24, 2012) and amended again by Ordinance No. 2016-13 (March 15, 2016).
Violations & Fines
Section 9.01.09 sits inside Section 9.01 of the LDR, and the companion tree-protection section, 9.02.03, states that violations arising under Section 9.01 or Section 9.02 are punishable pursuant to Chapter 8 of the Lake County Code, the county's code enforcement chapter, with each affected plant or tree treated as a separate violation. A property failing to remove listed species as a condition of an approved development order can hold up final inspection or certificate of occupancy until the removal is completed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which plants are banned in unincorporated Lake County?
Do I have to remove invasive plants already growing on my property?
Can I count an existing invasive plant toward my landscaping requirement?
Are wetland plants covered by the removal requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lake County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Lake County to another location·View the Florida invasive plant rules overview
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