Yuma, AZ Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)

03(4) of the Yuma City Code, part of the Landscape Design Standards, splits the prohibition into two lists tied to two different problems. ), and olive (Olea europaea) other than male or fruitless varieties, is banned across every landscape installation subject to the article because the code cites the pollen and seed load these species produce as an allergy and public health concern. Female mulberry and fruiting olive trees are singled out because only their female or seed-bearing forms trigger the ban; male and fruitless cultivars remain plantable.

The second list, palms, ficus, elm, and eucalyptus, is confined to the city rights-of-way rather than every yard. The code states these species create visibility problems and have invasive root structures that damage pavement, curbs, and buried infrastructure along streets. A homeowner or developer can still plant these four species inside a private yard setback; the ban only reaches the streetscape zone and other right-of-way landscape areas regulated under the same article. The prohibition sits inside the broader Landscape Design Standards section, which also governs required trees, shrubs, and groundcover for new construction and remodels citywide, so any landscape plan submitted to the city's Planning and Neighborhood Services division for a certificate of occupancy is checked against this list.

The rule traces to Ordinance 583 (1952) and was most recently amended by Ordinance O2017-024, adopted August 2, 2017, which is the version currently codified.