Lee's Summit, MO Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code § 30-38 (Native Plants)
- Still classified noxious
- Poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac
- Excluded from exemption
- Johnson grass, hemp, ragweed, leafy spurge, nettles, thistle
- Weed height limit
- 10 inches under IPMC § 302.4
- Max general penalty
- $500 fine or 90 days jail
- Approving official
- Director of Codes Administration
Summary
Lee's Summit Code Section 30-38 keeps poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac classified as noxious plants even inside an approved native landscape, and it excludes seven other weed species from the native-plant exemption, Johnson grass, hemp, curled dock, ragweed, leafy spurge, nettles and nodding thistle. Growing these species violates the City's weed rules regardless of landscaping intent.
Those plants constituting a health hazard and included in as noxious plants, i.e., poison ivy (Rhus radicans), poison oak (Toxicodendron diversiloba), and poison sumac (Toxicodendron demix), shall remain as classified. The following plants defined as weeds in Chapter 16 are recognized indicators of neglect and are not excepted by this Section: Johnson grass (Sorghum halepense), hemp (Cannabis sativa), curled dock (Rumex crispus), giant and common ragweed (Ambrosia sp.), leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula), nettles (Urtica procera), and nodding thistle (Carduus nutans).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 55 | Unified Development Ordinance: Supplement 15).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 30, Article III lets property owners install a "planned natural landscape" of native plants without violating the rank-weed provisions of Chapter 16's Property Maintenance Code, but only under an approved plan (Section 30-37) endorsed by a recognized horticultural authority or landscape architect and reviewed by the Director of Codes Administration. Section 30-38(B) then carves species back out of that exemption: poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac stay classified as noxious plants no matter what, and Johnson grass, hemp, curled dock, giant and common ragweed, leafy spurge, nettles and nodding thistle are treated as indicators of neglect that the native-plant exception does not excuse.
3. The unlisted-vegetation approval path routes through the Missouri Department of Conservation and the University Extension Service before the Director of Codes Administration signs off, so residents cannot self-certify an unfamiliar species as exempt native growth.
Violations & Fines
Failure to abate a listed noxious species after a notice of violation lets the City enter the property, cut and destroy the growth, and charge the owner for the cost under IPMC Section 302.4. The violation is also separately prosecutable under Section 106.3 and the Code's general penalty, Section 1-13: up to a $500 fine or 90 days in jail, or escalating municipal fines of $200, $275, $350 and $450 for repeat violations within twelve months, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow poison ivy or Johnson grass as part of a natural landscape in Lee's Summit?
What happens if I don't remove a listed noxious weed?
Does the native-plant exemption cover any yard with native species in it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lee's Summit
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Prohibited Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jackson County handle prohibited species.