Wayne County, MI Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Native plant and pollinator gardens are permitted throughout Wayne County, Michigan, but must generally be registered or designed as approved landscape plans to avoid conflicts with local weed and grass-height ordinances. Detroit's native landscape registration process allows homeowners to declare intentional prairie, meadow, or rain-garden plantings that would otherwise exceed the 8-inch grass height cap. Similar programs exist in Ann Arbor-adjacent Wayne County communities, Southfield-border municipalities, and Canton Township. Recommended native species for Wayne County include big bluestem, little bluestem, switchgrass, butterfly milkweed, purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, New England aster, bee balm, wild bergamot, and Michigan lily. The Wayne County Conservation District and Michigan State University Extension provide free native plant guides and annual native plant sales. Invasive species including garlic mustard, Japanese knotweed, phragmites, and autumn olive must be controlled and are not considered native-garden exemptions. Buffer strips of mowed grass (typically 3 to 5 feet) along property lines, sidewalks, and neighbors are often required to demonstrate intentional management.