Polk County, IA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing table
- Zoning Ordinance Table 10.5
- Banned shrubs
- Barberry, Russian/autumn olive, burning bush, honeysuckle, buckthorn
- Banned trees
- Amur/Norway maple, tree of heaven, alder, white poplar, black locust, Siberian elm
- Substitution rule
- Zone 5a species need prior approval
- Existing plants
- May count toward bufferyard compliance
- Review point
- Site plan / plat landscaping review
Summary
Polk County's landscaping rules flatly bar species known to be invasive in Iowa from any required bufferyard or site landscaping plan in the unincorporated county. Table 10.5 names Japanese and European barberry, Russian and autumn olive, burning bush, four honeysuckle species, common and glossy buckthorn, and several fast-spreading trees as excluded.
Section 1. Plant Materials
(A) For each bufferyard listed, a specific combination of canopy trees, understory trees, evergreen trees and shrubs is required and is listed in Table 10.1. A list of plant species grouped by these categories is presented in Table 10.5. Other plant species with a similar character that are recommended for Zone 5a according to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map are also permitted upon prior approval. Species known to be invasive in Iowa are specifically listed as excluded. ... Invasive Species specifically restricted from being allowed in landscaping plans
Shrubs: ... Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry); Berberis vulgaris (European barberry); Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive); Elaeagnus umbellate (autumn olive); Euonymua alata (burning bush); L. mackii (amur honeysuckle); L. morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle); L. tartarica (tatarian honeysuckle); L. x bella (Bell's honeysuckle); ... Lonicrea spp. (bush honeysuckles); R. catharica (common buckthorn); R. frangula (glossy buckthorn); Rhamnus ssp. (buckthorns); Viburnum spp. V. opulus (Plant only Viburnums native to Iowa).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
5, and allows substitute species suited to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5a only with prior approval, while stating plainly that species known to be invasive in Iowa are specifically excluded. 5's invasive list bars, among shrubs, Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry), Berberis vulgaris (European barberry), Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive), Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive), Euonymus alata (burning bush), four honeysuckle entries covering Amur, Morrow's, Tatarian and Bell's honeysuckle plus bush honeysuckles generally, and both common buckthorn and glossy buckthorn; Viburnum opulus is allowed only if the specific variety is native to Iowa.
On the tree side the table excludes Acer ginnala (Amur maple), Acer platanoides (Norway maple), Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven), Alnus glutinosa (European alder), Populus alba (white poplar), Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust) and Ulmus pumila (Siberian/Chinese elm). Section 1(B) lets existing plant material on a site count toward meeting the bufferyard requirement if it otherwise satisfies the section, so a landowner isn't forced to rip out compliant existing vegetation, but new landscaping plans submitted with a site plan or plat still have to steer clear of every species on the excluded list.
Violations & Fines
A landscaping or bufferyard plan that specifies an excluded invasive species is rejected at site-plan or plat review by the Zoning Administrator; planting one after approval is enforced as a general zoning violation under Article 23, carrying written notice, a correction deadline, a possible stop-work order, and civil or criminal remedies for continued noncompliance, with each day counted as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which plants are banned from landscaping plans in unincorporated Polk County?
Can I use a plant that isn't on the county's approved list?
Do I have to remove existing invasive shrubs already on my property?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Polk County
Compare Polk County to another location·View the Iowa invasive plant rules overview
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