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Schaumburg, IL Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Named invasive species
Garlic mustard, purple loosestrife
Also named noxious weeds
Jimson, burdock, ragweed, thistle, cocklebur
Cure period
5 days after village notice
Coverage
Any premises, no distance limit
Related tree rule
§ 154.135(B)(3)(g) invasive tree removal

Summary

Schaumburg names garlic mustard and purple loosestrife alongside common weeds like ragweed and thistle as nuisance species under Village Code § 90.60(A), and bans letting any of them grow on a property. Owners get five days to cut them after the village's notice, or the village can order removal itself under the same enforcement process used for tall grass.

It is hereby declared to be a nuisance and to be against the health, peace and comfort of the village for any person within the corporate limits of the village:(A)To allow the growth upon any premises of any noxious weeds, such as: Jimson, burdock, ragweed, thistle, cocklebur; invasive exotic species such as garlic, mustard, purple loosestrife, and other like weeds. The owner of the property shall cut or cause to be cut the weeds on their property within five (5) days after being notified to do so by the village.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56 Update 1 | Policy Manual: Supplement 20).

Full Breakdown

60(A), part of the Weed Abatement subchapter of Chapter 90, declares it a nuisance against the health, peace and comfort of the village for anyone to allow the growth of noxious weeds on their premises. The section names specific species: Jimson, burdock, ragweed, thistle and cocklebur, and then separately lists invasive exotic species, specifically garlic mustard and purple loosestrife, and any other like weeds. 60(B), which only applies within two hundred feet of a residential building, this invasive and noxious species ban applies to any premises in the village regardless of distance from a building.

An owner must cut or have the listed species cut within five days of being notified by the village. 135(B)(3)(g), lets the community development director approve easier tree-removal permits for invasive tree species such as buckthorn, black locust, Siberian elm, Chinese elm, slippery elm and box elder, when the goal is ecological restoration, sometimes requiring a restoration plan for the area cleared. 60(A) must, be removed rather than left to spread. 61, which lets the village cut the growth itself and lien the property if an owner refuses.

Violations & Fines

Letting garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, or any of the other noxious weeds named in § 90.60(A) grow on a property is a nuisance violation once five days pass after the village's cutting notice. Under § 90.61, the village can then send a crew to cut the growth and bill the owner, turning the cost into a lien on the property ahead of every other claim except unpaid taxes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Schaumburg ban specific invasive plants?
Yes. Section 90.60(A) names garlic mustard and purple loosestrife as invasive exotic species that count as a nuisance alongside weeds like ragweed and thistle, and requires the property owner to cut them within five days of the village's notice.
Does the invasive species rule only apply near homes, like the grass height limit?
No. The two-hundred-foot distance requirement in § 90.60(B) applies only to the general eight-inch turf grass cap. The invasive and noxious species ban in § 90.60(A) covers any premises in the village, with no distance limit tied to a residential building, so it reaches vacant land and rear yards alike.
What about invasive trees like buckthorn in Schaumburg?
Buckthorn, black locust and other listed invasive trees are handled separately under the zoning code's tree preservation rule, § 154.135(B)(3)(g), which lets the community development director approve their removal for ecological restoration even though most trees over four inches require a permit to remove at all.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Schaumburg

All Schaumburg rules

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