Sterling Heights, MI Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Listed species
- Canada thistle, poison ivy, ragweed, more
- Height trigger
- any grass over 6 inches
- State basis
- Michigan Noxious Weed Act, 1941 PA 359
- Exemptions
- maintained lawns, gardens, crop fields
Summary
Sterling Heights' Property Maintenance Code names specific noxious weeds, Canada thistle, poison ivy, giant hogweed, ragweed, and more, plus any grass over six inches, as a nuisance owners must remove.
Noxious weeds: Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), dodders (any species of Cuscuta), mustards (charlock, black mustard, and Indian mustard, species of Brassica or Sinapis), wild carrot (Daucus carota), bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), perennial sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis), hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana), giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), ragweed (Ambrosia elatior l.), and poison ivy (Rhus toxicodendron), poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix), grasses in excess of six (6) inches in height...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-46: Local legislation current through Ord. 509, passed 5-19-26).
Full Breakdown
Section 202 of the Property Maintenance Code defines 'noxious weeds' by name, Canada thistle, dodders, mustards, wild carrot, bindweed, perennial sowthistle, hoary alyssum, giant hogweed, ragweed, poison ivy, and poison sumac, plus any grass, weed, or plant over six inches tall, with narrow exemptions for maintained lawns, gardens, and crop fields. The City Council declares these species a common nuisance, citing Michigan's Noxious Weed Act (1941 PA 359, MCL 247.61 et seq.) as its statutory authority, and Section 302.4 requires every property to stay free of them.
Violations & Fines
Property with listed species or overgrown grass is treated as a nuisance under Section 302.4; the City can abate it and bill the owner, with unpaid costs secured by a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
What plants count as 'noxious weeds' in Sterling Heights?
Does this list come from the city or the state?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sterling Heights
Compare Sterling Heights to another location·View the Michigan invasive plant rules overview
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Prohibited Species in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Macomb County handle prohibited species.