Scottsdale, AZ Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)
Key Facts
- Ordinance
- Chapter 46, Article V: adopted 1981, revised since
- Protected Species
- Saguaro, palo verde, mesquite, ironwood, barrel cactus, ocotillo
- Landscaping Requirements
- Zoning Ordinance Article X requires native/drought-tolerant plants
- Violation Fine
- Up to $10,000 per plant
- Educational Resource
- Xeriscape Garden at Chaparral Park
- ESLO
- Strictest native plant protection in overlay areas
Summary
Scottsdale's Native Plant Ordinance (Chapter 46, Article V) is one of the most comprehensive in Arizona, protecting dozens of indigenous desert plant species. The Zoning Ordinance Article X (Landscaping Requirements) mandates native and drought-tolerant plantings in new development. Violations of native plant protections carry fines up to $10,000.
A. This chapter does not prevent the destruction of protected native plants or clearing of land or cleaning or removing protected native plants by the owner of the land or the owner's agent if: 1. The land is in private ownership. 2. The protected native plants are not transported from the land or offered for sale. 3. The owner or the owner's agent notifies the department pursuant to this section of the intended destruction at least: (a) Twenty days before the plants are destroyed over an area of less than one acre. (b) Thirty days before the plants are destroyed over an area of one acre or more but less than forty acres. (c) Sixty days before the plants are destroyed over an area of forty acres or more. 4. The protected plants are destroye
Full Breakdown
Scottsdale has been a leader in native plant protection since adopting its first ordinance in 1981. The Native Plant Ordinance (Chapter 46, Article V) protects all plants on the city's Indigenous Plant List, which includes saguaro, palo verde, mesquite, ironwood, barrel cactus, ocotillo, Joshua trees, and dozens of other Sonoran Desert species. Any development affecting protected plants requires a Native Plant Program. The Zoning Ordinance Article X (Landscaping Requirements) mandates that new commercial and multi-family development use drought-tolerant and native plant materials for a significant portion of required landscaping. Section 7.500 of the Zoning Ordinance specifically addresses native plant materials in development. The city maintains the Xeriscape Garden at Chaparral Park as an educational resource demonstrating appropriate desert landscaping. Scottsdale's ESLO areas have the strictest native plant protection, requiring minimal disturbance of natural desert vegetation.
Violations & Fines
Removal or destruction of protected native plants without an approved Native Plant Program carries fines up to $10,000 per violation and required replacement or restoration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What native plants are protected in Scottsdale?
Do I need to use native plants in my landscaping?
Where can I learn about desert-appropriate landscaping for Scottsdale?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Scottsdale
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Native Plants in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Maricopa County handle native plants.