Putnam County, FL Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- landscaping must use native-or-adapted species
- Governing section
- § 45-515(a)(2)
- Approved species list
- Table 7.4, Appendix VII
- Native retention credit
- Sec. 45-515(a)(3)
- Enforcement
- code enforcement under Article XII
Summary
Putnam County's landscape code protects native plant communities and requires new landscaping to use species that are native or adapted to the area. Sec. 45-511 states the intent to protect native plant communities, and Sec. 45-515 requires installed landscaping to use native-or-adapted plant material and encourages retaining existing plants native to Northeast Florida during development.
(a)Intent. The purpose of the landscape regulations is to protect the general welfare of Putnam County citizens and visitors by establishing minimum standards for the protection of trees and native plant communities, to promote water conservation, to enhance the county's appearance, and to provide for the proper installation and maintenance of landscapes. ... (2)The property owner shall be responsible for installing landscaping, according to accepted commercial planting procedures, using plant materials of species that are native or adapted to the county. ... The preservation and use of native vegetation is highly encouraged.
Full Breakdown
Article VII, division 3 of the Land Development Code (Sec. 45-511 through 45-518) governs every required landscaping installation in unincorporated Putnam County, from a subdivision buffer to a commercial parking lot's interior planting. Sec. 45-511(a) states the regulations exist to establish minimum standards for the protection of trees and native plant communities alongside water conservation and appearance goals. Sec. 45-515(a)(2) turns that intent into a standing rule for installers: landscaping must be installed using plant materials of species that are native or adapted to the county, and subsection (a)(3) singles out plant material native to Northeast Florida for retention where a developer requests credit for existing vegetation on a site.
Sec. 45-515(c) reinforces the point on plant quality, stating that preservation and use of native vegetation is highly encouraged alongside the Florida Department of Agriculture's Florida No. 1 grading standard for nursery stock. Species choices are not open-ended: Sec. 45-511(c)(1) requires any installed plant to come from the approved list in Table 7.4, Appendix VII, which is organized by water-use zone under the county's Sec. 45-516 xeriscape standards. A developer who wants to keep existing native vegetation instead of installing new plants can apply under Sec. 45-512(f) for reduced buffer planting where the retained native growth substantially fulfills the buffering purpose.
Violations & Fines
Failing to install or maintain landscaping as approved, including required native-or-adapted plant material, is a violation of the Code enforceable under article XII. Sec. 45-518 lets the county require replacement of any dead or removed required tree with new trees totaling at least the same caliper, on top of any fine, with placement of the replacements directed by the county's landscape reviewer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Putnam County require native plants in new landscaping?
Can I keep existing native vegetation instead of planting new buffer material?
Where does Putnam County list which plants qualify for required landscaping?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Putnam County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Putnam County to another location·View the Florida landscaping rules overview
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