Marysville, WA Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum native plants
- 50% of xeriscape area
- Applies to
- Commercial, multifamily, shared areas
- Exempt
- Private single-family/middle housing yards
- Enforced by
- Community development department
Summary
Marysville requires xeriscape landscaping in commercial, multifamily, and shared common areas to use at least 50 percent native plants, cutting irrigation demand and favoring low-water species suited to local soils.
Native Vegetation. Within xeriscape areas, a minimum of 50 percent native plants shall be used.
(d) Prohibited Species. The city shall maintain a list of prohibited species, which are invasive or noxious. Where such species already exist, their removal shall be a condition of development approval.
(e) Additional Planting Standards.
(i) For xeriscape areas, soil samples shall be analyzed to determine what soil conditioning or soil amendments should be used at the time of planting. Soil conditioning measures shall be adequate for the plant species selected.
(ii) Trees, shrubs, perennials, perennial grasses and ground covers shall be located and spaced to accommodate their mature size on the site.
(f) Plant Replacement. The developer shall maintain xeriscape plantings for a two-year period from the date of planting. Within the two-year period, the developer shall replace or otherwise guarantee any failed plantings:
(i) Dead or dying trees or shrubs shall be replaced; and
(ii) Plantings or perennials, perennial grasses or ground covers shall be replanted to maintain a maximum 20 percent mortality rate from the date of planting.
(3) Storm Water. Applicants are encouraged to incorporate landscaping into the on-site storm water treatment system to the greatest extent practicable. (Ord. 2852 § 10 (Exh. A), 2011; Ord. 3352 § 83 (Exh. BBBB), 2025; Ord. 3366 § 80 (Exh. BBBB), 2025)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4922912; v1 updated 2026-06-08; through 06-08-2026).
Full Breakdown
Marysville Municipal Code § 22C.120.050 requires xeriscape landscaping, used as an alternative to traditional turf-heavy design for office, commercial, industrial, institutional, multifamily, and shared areas of single-family or middle housing projects, to be at least 50 percent native plants. The standard sits inside the city's broader water conservation rules, which also cap high-water plantings at 40 to 50 percent of landscaped area and require irrigation matched to plant water needs. Xeriscape plants generally must also be noninvasive, commercially available, and never collected from the wild.
Violations & Fines
Landscaping plans that fall short of the 50 percent native-plant threshold in covered project types are rejected by community development staff during site plan review before permits issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply to my private backyard?
Can wild-collected plants count toward the 50 percent?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marysville
Compare Marysville to another location·View the Washington landscaping rules overview
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Native Plants in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Snohomish County handle native plants.