Peoria, IL Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Species listed
- 12 exotic invasive woody plants
- Landscaping credit
- Zero points if planted or retained
- Removal duty
- Ongoing removal required from site
- State overlap
- Most also on Illinois Banned Species List
- Applies in
- Site landscaping and stream buffer plans
Summary
Peoria's landscape ordinance names twelve invasive woody plants, from buckthorn to kudzu, that earn no credit toward a project's landscaping requirements and must be pulled from any development site on an ongoing basis. Most also sit on the Illinois Banned Species List, making them illegal to buy, sell or plant anywhere in the state.
Exotic, Invasive Woody Plants: The following plants are exceptionally invasive and will damage native ecosystems and cause economic losses in the attempt to control their spread. They must be removed from the site on a current and ongoing basis. Please note that most of these plants are on the Illinois Banned Species List, and are illegal to buy, sell, or plant in the State of Illinois. 1. Tree of Heaven Ailanthus altissima 2. Autumn Olive Eleagnus umbellatus 3. Tartarian Honeysuckle Lonicera tartarica 4. Glossy Buckthorn Rhamnus frangula 5. Common Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica 6. Saw-toothed Buckthorn Rhamnus arguta 7. Dahurian Buckthorn Rhamnus davurica 8. Japanese Buckthorn Rhamnus japonica 9. Chinese Buckthorn Rhamnus utilis 10. Kudzu Pueraria lobata 11. Round-leaved Bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus 12. Japanese Honeysuckle Lonicera japonica
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 119).
Full Breakdown
C, 'Exotic, Invasive Woody Plants,' sits inside the chapter governing required landscaping and buffer yards for new development and site plans. The section flags twelve species by name: Tree of Heaven, Autumn Olive, Tartarian Honeysuckle, Glossy Buckthorn, Common Buckthorn, Saw-toothed Buckthorn, Dahurian Buckthorn, Japanese Buckthorn, Chinese Buckthorn, Kudzu, Round-leaved Bittersweet and Japanese Honeysuckle. ' The section cross-references the Illinois Banned Species List, noting that most of the listed plants are already illegal to buy, sell or plant anywhere in the state, so Peoria's rule layers a local, site-specific removal duty on top of the state purchase-and-sale ban.
11's Stream Buffer Plant List, which governs replanting along the city's protected stream corridors, so the City applies the ban consistently across both general landscaping standards and environmentally sensitive buffer areas. Enforcement runs through the Community Development Department's site plan review process, since compliance is checked when a landscape or buffer plan is submitted for Development Review Board or Zoning Administrator approval.
Violations & Fines
A site plan or landscape plan that relies on any of the twelve banned species for required points is rejected outright, since the code awards zero credit for them; existing plantings must be removed on an ongoing basis. Because these species also appear on the state's Illinois Banned Species List, buying, selling or planting them anywhere in Peoria separately violates state law, independent of the local landscaping review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it illegal to have a buckthorn hedge in Peoria?
Does Peoria's invasive plant list apply to my private backyard?
What happens if I plant kudzu on a commercial site in Peoria?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Peoria
Compare Peoria to another location·View the Illinois invasive plant rules overview
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