Queen Creek, AZ Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Zoning Ordinance § 5.3.E
- Banned species
- Olive, Fountain Grass, Bermuda grass, Mulberry
- Exempt cultivars
- Swan Hill Olive, Wilson Hill Olive
- Reason for Bermuda/Olive ban
- Heavy allergy-causing pollen production
- Reason for Fountain Grass ban
- Fire hazard, invasive weed spread
- Reviewed by
- Planning Administrator, landscape plan review
Summary
Queen Creek's Zoning Ordinance bans four landscaping plants outright in new development: standard olive trees, fountain grass, common Bermuda grass and mulberry trees, all cited for heavy pollen production or fire and weed-spread risk, with two non-pollen olive cultivars carved out as the sole exception.
1. Olive Trees (Olea Europaea) are prohibited for reasons of their profuse production of allergy producing pollen except for the two (2) varieties as mentioned above; 2. Fountain Grass (Pennisetum Setaceum) is prohibited as a defined weed with the potential to spread throughout the Town and become a fire hazard; 3. Common Bermuda grass (Cynodon Dactilon) is prohibited as a defined weed and for its profuse production of allergy producing pollen. (For clarification purposes, non-allergenic species are permissible as approved by the Town); and, 4. Mulberry Trees (Morus) are prohibited as noxious pollen producers. ... E. Prohibited Plants. The "Swan Hill Olive" and the "Wilson Hill Olive" varieties may be used due to their non-flowering non-pollen status and are exempt from the prohibited plants list:
Full Breakdown
E of the Zoning Ordinance, Prohibited Plants, bans four species from new landscaping in the Town of Queen Creek. Standard Olive Trees (Olea Europaea) are prohibited for their heavy production of allergy-causing pollen. Fountain Grass (Pennisetum Setaceum) is banned as a defined weed capable of spreading through Town and becoming a fire hazard, a real concern in a desert community. Common Bermuda grass (Cynodon Dactilon) is prohibited both as a defined weed and for its allergy-producing pollen, though the Town can approve non-allergenic Bermuda cultivars case by case.
Mulberry Trees (Morus) round out the list, banned as noxious pollen producers. The section carves out one exception: the 'Swan Hill Olive' and 'Wilson Hill Olive' varieties are exempt from the prohibited list because they are non-flowering and produce no pollen, so a developer wanting an olive tree look without the ban has to plant one of those two cultivars specifically. The prohibited-plants list sits inside the Landscaping Standards adopted to implement the Queen Creek General Plan's goals of preserving native plants and scarce water supplies while capitalizing on the Town's agricultural character. 3.
Violations & Fines
Installing a prohibited species, standard olive, fountain grass, common Bermuda grass or mulberry, on a required landscape plan violates Section 5.3.E and can hold up Certificate of Occupancy issuance, since Section 5.3.D.11 conditions final occupancy on landscaping meeting all requirements in the Article. Continued or repeated violations carry the Zoning Ordinance's standard civil penalties of $250, $500 and $2,000 for successive offenses within 12 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant a Bermuda grass lawn in Queen Creek?
Are all olive trees banned in Queen Creek?
Why is fountain grass prohibited in Queen Creek?
What happens if a rejected plant species is on my landscape plan?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Queen Creek
Compare Queen Creek to another location·View the Arizona invasive plant rules overview
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Prohibited Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle prohibited species.