Invasive Plant Rules in Georgia (2026)
17 rules on the books across Georgia, 13 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Bamboo Restrictions
Rules about planting running bamboo near property lines, containment requirements, removal obligations, and fines for bamboo that spreads to neighboring properties.
Prohibited Species
Plants that are banned or regulated in your area, including Japanese knotweed, kudzu, purple loosestrife, and other species that threaten native ecosystems.
Jackson County
Heavy RestrictionsUnincorporated Jackson County's landscaping code flatly prohibits invasive and potentially invasive plant species from…
Read full rule →Roswell
Heavy RestrictionsRoswell, Georgia's tree ordinance flatly bans invasive species from any required tree replanting, mandating that…
Read full rule →Columbus
Significant RestrictionsColumbus, Georgia bans planting chinaberry, mulberry, or sycamore trees on city streets, alleys, sidewalks, or…
Read full rule →Atlanta
Some RestrictionsAtlanta's vegetation code names kudzu and Chinese wisteria as regulated "weeds" and bars letting them grow past 12…
Read full rule →Forsyth County
Some RestrictionsForsyth County's Unified Development Code bans 38 named invasive and nuisance plant species from new landscaping in the…
Read full rule →South Fulton
Some RestrictionsSouth Fulton's property maintenance code defines 'weeds' to include kudzu and any invasive exotic plant species…
Read full rule →Spalding County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Spalding County bans noxious weeds outright, defining them as any species listed on the federal Noxious…
Read full rule →Walker County
Some RestrictionsWalker County Code § 16-489(d) bars anyone from installing kudzu (Pueraria lobata) or the popcorn/Chinese tallow tree…
Read full rule →Alpharetta
Light RestrictionsDevelopers earning the North Point Overlay's Sustainable Landscaping EcoDistrict point must certify that no species on…
Read full rule →Bartow County
Light RestrictionsUnincorporated Bartow County bans planting trees with vigorous root systems, specifically Eastern Cottonwood, Willow…
Read full rule →Effingham County
Light RestrictionsIn unincorporated Effingham County, new R-2 and R-5 subdivision street trees may never come from a species the…
Read full rule →Glynn County
Light RestrictionsGlynn County's tree ordinance doesn't ban invasive plants outright, but it strips them of legal value: invasive species…
Read full rule →Marietta
Light RestrictionsMarietta's landscape buffer rules single out kudzu and other creeping vines as vegetation property owners may clear…
Read full rule →Tree-of-Heaven Removal
Rules requiring removal of Ailanthus altissima (tree-of-heaven), the invasive species that hosts spotted lanternfly, including state programs and city-level mandates.
Atlanta
Some RestrictionsAtlanta classifies Tree of Heaven as an invasive species under its tree ordinance. Removing one 6 inches DBH or larger…
Read full rule →Forsyth County
Some RestrictionsAilanthus altissima, tree-of-heaven, is the first species named on Forsyth County's banned-plant list for the Coal…
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