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Des Moines, IA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

General height limit
10 inches for grass/weeds
Native plant exception
Sec. 42-569(4), no height cap
Condition
Must not become a nuisance
Noxious weeds
Still barred under Iowa Code Ch. 317.1A
Enforced by
City weed official

Summary

Des Moines exempts purposefully-planted native vegetation from the city's 10-inch weed and grass height limit, letting homeowners maintain natural or prairie-style landscaping without violating the general nuisance-vegetation ordinance.

(4) Native vegetation. Purposefully-planted native vegetation shall be permitted to exceed ten inches in height provided they do not constitute a nuisance under this Code;

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 38 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

Des Moines caps grass and weeds at ten inches under City Code § 42-568, enforced by the weed official (the neighborhood inspections administrator). Section 42-569(4) carves out an exception: purposefully-planted native vegetation, plants indigenous to Iowa's prairies, can grow past that height without triggering a violation, as long as the planting doesn't become a nuisance. The exception doesn't cover noxious weeds defined under Iowa Code Chapter 317.1A; those remain prohibited regardless of how a bed is planted or labeled. Ten days' notice precedes any city abatement, and unresolved violations get billed to the property like a tax assessment.

Violations & Fines

Unresolved violations get a 10-day abatement notice from the weed official; if not corrected, the city cuts the growth and assesses the cost against the property like a tax.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I let a native plant garden grow taller than 10 inches in Des Moines?
Yes. City Code § 42-569(4) exempts purposefully-planted native vegetation from the standard 10-inch weed/grass height limit, as long as the planting doesn't become a nuisance under the Code.
Does this exception cover noxious weeds mixed into a native planting?
No. Section 42-569 says the exception does not permit growing noxious weeds as defined by Iowa Code Chapter 317.1A, so those still have to be removed.
Who decides if a native planting has become a nuisance?
The city's weed official (the neighborhood inspections administrator) makes that call and can order abatement with ten days' notice if the planting is found to violate the Code.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Des Moines

Fire Regulations: Fire Pits & Backyard FiresSignificant RestrictionsTree Removal & Heritage TreesSome RestrictionsWeed OrdinancesSome RestrictionsTree TrimmingSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Coyote ManagementHeavy RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: MicrochippingSome RestrictionsFire Regulations: Smoke DetectorsSome Restrictions

All Des Moines rules

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