Blue Springs, MO Invasive Plant Rules: Tree-of-Heaven Removal (2026)

In the City of Blue Springs, Missouri, Chapter 240 of the City Code, Tree Trimming and Maintenance, does not ban tree of heaven outright, but Section 240.020's definitions single it out by name. 'TREES, CERTAIN' is defined as those which have rapid growth, weak branching habits, or brittle wood together with those trees that due to form, damage or disease are hazardous to the line or public safety, and the definition lists tree of heaven, Ailantus altissima, alongside Siberian elm, silver maple, green ash, boxelder, cottonwood, Lombardy poplar, black locust and willow.

That classification carries a real consequence under Section 240.030: a utility easement holder may prune a 'certain tree' within six feet of a line without the owner's consent, and may cut it to the ground without consent if its trunk lies entirely within the easement, a right the Code withholds for 'other trees,' which may not be pruned or cut down without the owner's written permission. The City also bars using a 'dangerous substance,' meaning a restricted-use pesticide requiring a government license, or any substance of organic synthesis, to control foliage growth or remove stumps within a utility easement under Section 240.040.

Violations of Chapter 240 are punished under the general penalty of Section 100.080, a fine up to $500, up to ninety days in jail, or both, per Section 240.080.