Newark, NJ Invasive Plant Rules: Tree-of-Heaven Removal (2026)

Section 41:16-2-2 of the Revised General Ordinances, the zoning standards for landscaping of buildings and yards, lists ten tree varieties that 'may not be planted and are prohibited' on any site subject to Newark's landscaping requirements, and tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is named third on that list, between the empress tree and the white poplar/Lombardy poplar group. The chapter, adopted November 1, 2023 by Ordinance No. 6PSF-E, folds the ban into the broader landscaping standards that apply to 'all residential, commercial, and industrial sites' under § 41:16-2-1(3).

Because tree of heaven is the primary host plant for the invasive spotted lanternfly and resprouts aggressively from cut stumps and root suckers, the City routes its removal through the same landscape-plan review the Central Planning Board and Division of City Planning use for shade trees, buffer plantings and street trees. A developer's landscape architect must identify existing trees by species and diameter at breast height under § 41:16-2-1(3)(d), so any tree of heaven already on a redevelopment parcel gets flagged and counted toward required replacement plantings rather than credited as retained canopy.

The section also cross-references a companion catch-all: no tree on the NJDEP Invasive Plant List or the USDA Invasive Plants Field and Reference Guide, a broader roster covering species beyond the ten named here, may be planted anywhere in the city. Replacement or new landscaping must instead prioritize native species suited to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a under § 41:16-2-1(4).