The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources maintains a Prohibited Plant List of 144 species that may not be imported, sold, traded, purchased, or distributed in the state. The Massachusetts Invasive Plants Advisory Group (MIPAG) has identified 69 additional species as invasive or potentially invasive. These prohibitions apply uniformly across all Middlesex County municipalities.
Massachusetts has one of the nation's more comprehensive invasive plant regulatory frameworks. The Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List, maintained by the Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) under MGL Chapter 128B, currently includes 144 plant species that are prohibited from importation, sale, trade, purchase, and distribution in the state. This includes all cultivars, varieties, and hybrids of listed species. Key prohibited species include: Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) — added in 2022 due to its link to tick habitat and Lyme disease, particularly significant in Middlesex County's suburban areas; Norway maple (Acer platanoides); burning bush (Euonymus alatus); glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus); multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora); oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus); and autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata). The Massachusetts Invasive Plants Advisory Group (MIPAG) separately evaluates species and has identified 69 species as Invasive, Likely Invasive, or Potentially Invasive. While MIPAG designations are advisory, they influence the Prohibited Plant List and municipal land management decisions. Middlesex County's mix of suburban development and remaining natural areas (Middlesex Fells Reservation, Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge) makes invasive plant management a regional priority. Many municipalities within the county participate in invasive species removal programs through conservation commissions and volunteer groups. Nurseries and garden centers in Massachusetts are prohibited from selling listed species, and violations are enforced by MDAR.
Sale or distribution of prohibited plant species carries fines enforced by the Department of Agricultural Resources. Nurseries face potential license suspension or revocation. Individual property owners are not penalized for having existing prohibited species but cannot sell or distribute them.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Waltham, MA
Waltham sits under Boston Logan arrival corridors and is affected by federal FAA regulations, with local enforcement limited to ground noise.
Waltham, MA
Waltham permits leaf blowers during daytime hours only, with seasonal restrictions being debated as part of regional Boston suburb trends.
Waltham, MA
Waltham enforces nighttime quiet hours under Chapter 10 of the Municipal Code, with stricter limits in residential zones near Brandeis and Bentley campuses.
Waltham, MA
Construction noise in Waltham is restricted to daytime hours to protect residential neighborhoods and students living near Brandeis and Bentley Universities.
Waltham, MA
Waltham requires electrical permits for home EV chargers and follows Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code requiring EV-ready parking in new multifamily and comm...
Waltham, MA
Waltham enforces metered parking downtown, resident permit zones in dense neighborhoods, and a citywide winter parking ban during snow emergencies.
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