Las Cruces, NM Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Species banned
- 10 species, Table 14
- Includes
- Saltcedar, Russian olive, Siberian elm, tree of heaven, giant cane
- Applies to
- New landscaping in DT, MS, GU downtown districts
- Does not require
- Removal of existing prohibited trees already planted
- Also banned
- Artificial plants and artificial turf downtown
Summary
The Downtown Development Code bars ten specific plant species from any new landscaping in the Downtown, Main Street, and General Urban districts, including saltcedar, Russian olive, Siberian elm, giant cane, and tree of heaven. The list, Table 14, covers public squares, plazas, and private parcels alike and applies on top of the citywide landscaping standards in Chapter 32.
Any tree species and cultivar applicable for planting in the Downtown Las Cruces microclimate may be considered for planting within Downtown public squares, plazas, and private parcels, with the exception of those identified in Table 14. Prohibited Plants. TABLE 14. PROHIBITED PLANTS BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME Pennisetum setaceum Crimson fountaingrass Tamarix spp. Saltcedar x Chitalpa Chitalpa Elaeagnus angustifolia Russian olive Brassica tournefortii Sahara mustard Peganum harmala African rue Arundo donax Giant cane Saccharum ravennae Ravennagrass Ulmus pumila Siberian elm 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 33 | Land Development Code: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
(saltcedar), x Chitalpa, Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive), Brassica tournefortii (Sahara mustard), Peganum harmala (African rue), Arundo donax (giant cane), Saccharum ravennae (ravennagrass), Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm), and Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven). Several of these species, saltcedar and Russian olive especially, are the same aggressive water-hungry trees the Elephant Butte Irrigation District and Rio Grande floodplain managers work to remove along the valley's ditches and drainages, so the downtown code's ban keeps new landscaping from reintroducing species the city and irrigation district are already fighting elsewhere.
The prohibition applies only to new plantings approved as part of a downtown site or landscape plan; it does not require removal of an existing prohibited tree already growing on a downtown lot. The same subsection also bans thorny or spined ground cover within two feet of a sidewalk or street, prohibits artificial plants and artificial turf within the district, and cross-references Chapter 32 of the Municipal Code for the underlying planting-quantity standards that apply on top of the prohibited-species list.
Violations & Fines
A downtown landscape plan that specifies any of the ten prohibited species is rejected at Community Development Department review under the Section 38-43(D) plan submittal process, and the plan must be revised before a building or landscaping permit issues. If a prohibited species is planted without having been caught in review, Section 38-15 treats the nonconforming landscaping as a continuing zoning violation, with the Municipal Court authorized to order it removed and to impose a fine for each day it remains.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which plants are banned from downtown Las Cruces landscaping?
Do I have to remove a prohibited tree that is already on my downtown lot?
Why does the code single out species like saltcedar and Russian olive?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Las Cruces
Compare Las Cruces to another location·View the New Mexico invasive plant rules overview
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