Alachua County, FL Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- ULDC § 407.44(b)
- Native species minimum
- 75% of trees, shrubs, groundcovers
- Edible-species offset
- Up to 10% of requirement
- Cultivars
- Count as native species
- Plant quality standard
- Florida Grade #1 or better
- Synthetic plants
- Not permitted as substitutes
Summary
New landscaping on development sites in unincorporated Alachua County must be at least 75 percent native species across trees, shrubs, and groundcovers. Up to 10 percent of that requirement can be met with edible native species, and keystone species get design preference.
Native species. At least seventy-five (75) percent each of new tree, shrub, and groundcover plantings shall be native species. Cultivars of native species are considered native species.(1)Up to ten (10) percent of these requirements may be met with edible species identified in Table 407.50.1. and Table 407.50.2.(2)Preference should be given to keystone species as identified in Table 407.50.1. and Table 407.50.2.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
44(b) of the ULDC, part of the county's landscaping article, sets a native-species floor for any new tree, shrub, or groundcover planting installed to satisfy the development landscaping requirements: at least 75 percent of each category must be native species, and cultivars of native species count toward that share. 2 (groundcovers), and the code directs that preference be given to keystone species identified on those same tables. 43, which call for prioritizing existing native vegetation, limiting permanently irrigated turf to functional recreation areas, and favoring drought-tolerant species such as bahiagrass or centipedegrass for any turf that is used.
007 cannot be used at all. Synthetic or artificial turf, trees, shrubs, groundcovers, or vines cannot substitute for the native-plant requirement. These standards apply to new development landscape and planting plans reviewed by Growth Management and the county forester/landscaping inspector; they do not mandate native landscaping on existing single-family lots that are not undergoing a landscape plan review. Unincorporated county only. Gainesville and the county's municipalities set their own landscape codes.
Violations & Fines
A development landscape or planting plan that falls short of the 75 percent native-species threshold, or that substitutes synthetic plant material, does not satisfy Section 407.44(b) and will not receive Growth Management approval; the county forester/landscaping inspector reviews plant selection against Table 407.50.1 and 407.50.2 before sign-off. Installed landscaping found out of compliance at inspection can be cited under Section 24.14, with a civil penalty of up to $500 per infraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of new landscaping must be native in Alachua County?
Can edible plants count toward Alachua County's native-species requirement?
Does the native-plant rule apply to my existing yard in Alachua County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Alachua County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Alachua County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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