Oklahoma City, OK Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Prohibited species
- poison ivy, oak, sumac
- Threshold
- any height or maturity stage
- Notice period
- 10 days to cut/remove
- Non-compliance cost
- city abates, files property lien
- Penalty
- each day a separate offense
Summary
Oklahoma City outlaws poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac on any lot at any height, classifying them as noxious plants owners must cut, remove, or destroy or face a nuisance-abatement order and lien.
Noxious plants means poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac, at any height or stage of maturity. ... It shall be unlawful for any owner or person otherwise in possession or control of any lot, tract or parcel of land ... to allow rank weeds, thickets or noxious plants to grow or stand upon such premises ... and it shall be the duty of such owner to cut, remove or destroy any and all such rank weeds, thickets or noxious plants on such premises.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 35-61 defines "noxious plants" as poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac at any height or stage of maturity, and declares them (with rank weeds and thickets) a nuisance under § 35-62. Section 35-63 makes it unlawful for an owner or person in control of a lot to let these plants grow or stand on the property or the adjacent sidewalk, street, or unpaved alley, and requires the owner to cut, remove, or destroy them. The Director of Neighborhood Enhancement enforces the article with mailed notice, a hearing right, summary abatement, and a lien for the city's abatement costs if the owner doesn't comply.
Violations & Fines
Failure to remove poison ivy, oak, or sumac after a 10-day director's notice lets the city abate the nuisance itself and lien the property for costs (§ 35-64, § 35-67, § 35-68). Owners who violate the article are guilty of a municipal offense, with each day of continued violation a separate offense (§ 35-69).
Frequently Asked Questions
What plants can't I grow in my Oklahoma City yard?
What happens if I don't remove them?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oklahoma City
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