Grand Rapids, MI Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited species count
- 18 tree/shrub species banned
- Governing table
- Table 5.11.08.G, Chapter 61
- Applies to
- New landscape plans, LUDS permits
- Example species
- Buckthorn, Japanese knotweed, multiflora rose
Summary
Grand Rapids' zoning ordinance bans planting any of eighteen invasive tree and shrub species citywide, including common buckthorn, Japanese knotweed, multiflora rose, and Norway maple, under Chapter 61's landscaping standards.
3.Prohibited Tree/Shrub Species. Planting the species as listed in the Tree Manual and Standards of Practice and Table 5.11.08.G. is prohibited in the city due to their invasive nature.
Table 5.11.08.G. Prohibited (Invasive) Tree/Shrub Species Botanical Name Common Name Acer Ginnala Amur Maple Elaeagnus Umbellata Autumn Olive Robinia Spp. Black Locust Acer Negundo Box Elder Rhamnus Cathartica Common Buckthorn Phragmites australis Common Reed Butomus umbellatus Flowering Rush Alliaria petiolata Garlic Mustard
Polygonum sahalinensis (Fallopia sachalinensis) Giant Knotweed
Rhamnus Frangula Glossy Buckthorn Berberis Thunbergii Japanese Barberry Fallopia japonica Japanese Knotweed Populus nigra var. italica Lombardy Poplar Rosa Multiflora Multiflora Rose Acer platanoides Norway Maple Lythrum salicaria Purple Loosestrife Elaeagnus Angustifolia Russian Olive Centaurea Biebersteinii Spotted Knapweed Ailanthus Altissima Tree of Heaven
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 70).
Full Breakdown
Section 5.11.08.G of the Zoning Ordinance flatly prohibits planting the species listed in Table 5.11.08.G because of their invasive nature; the list runs eighteen deep and includes common and glossy buckthorn, garlic mustard, Japanese and giant knotweed, purple loosestrife, multiflora rose, Norway maple, Amur maple, tree-of-heaven, and Russian and autumn olive, among others. It sits alongside a separate 'uncredited species' table (5.11.08.F, covering ash, Callery pear, and cottonwood) that may still be planted but earns no landscaping credit. Compliance is checked by the Planning Department when a landscape or site plan is submitted for a Land Use and Development Services (LUDS) permit.
Violations & Fines
A landscape plan listing a prohibited species is rejected or must be revised during LUDS/site-plan review by the Planning Department before permit approval; the ordinance does not set a separate fine schedule for this provision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant a Norway maple in Grand Rapids?
Does the ban apply to invasive trees already growing on my lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Grand Rapids
Compare Grand Rapids to another location·View the Michigan invasive plant rules overview
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Prohibited Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Kent County handle prohibited species.