Tulsa County, OK Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Oklahoma has no statewide mandate requiring native plant landscaping, but Tulsa County actively supports it through the Tulsa County Conservation District and OSU Extension Service. Recommended natives for the Cross Timbers ecoregion (covers most of Tulsa County) include little bluestem (state grass per Title 25 §98.9), Indian blanket (state wildflower), black-eyed Susan, purple coneflower, switchgrass, eastern redbud (state tree), and Oklahoma rose. Oklahoma Conservation Commission's Working Lands for Wildlife program offers cost-share for native grass establishment on ag properties. The Guthrie Green, Gathering Place, and LaFortune Park showcase native plantings as public examples. Tulsa County has no anti-xeriscape rule — in fact, drought-tolerant native landscaping is recommended given frequent summer drought and the Oklahoma-Arkansas climate variability. HOA restrictions on native plants are not specifically preempted by Oklahoma law (unlike Texas Property Code §202.007 or Florida §373.185) — HOAs in Tulsa County may still enforce traditional turf standards unless covenants are updated. City of Tulsa Title 51 Zoning Code §90.040 recognizes 'natural landscape' as an acceptable yard type. Invasive species (eastern red cedar, Bradford pear, Johnson grass) removal is encouraged; Oklahoma declared eastern red cedar a threat under Title 2 §16-56.1 for prescribed burn management.