Invasive Plant Rules in Texas (2026)
34 rules on the books across Texas, 15 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.
Taylor
Heavy RestrictionsTaylor's invasive species rule bans planting or continuing Running Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) anywhere Chapter 28's…
Read full rule →Austin
Few RestrictionsAustin does not have a specific ordinance banning bamboo. Running bamboo that spreads onto neighboring properties may…
Read full rule →Bexar County
Few RestrictionsBexar County and San Antonio do not have specific ordinances restricting bamboo. Texas state law does not regulate…
Read full rule →El Paso
Few RestrictionsEl Paso does not have a specific ordinance banning or restricting bamboo planting. However, the city's landscaping code…
Read full rule →Fort Worth
Few RestrictionsFort Worth does not have a specific ordinance banning or restricting bamboo planting. However, bamboo that spreads onto…
Read full rule →Harris County
Few RestrictionsNeither Harris County nor the City of Houston has a specific ordinance banning or restricting bamboo. Texas does not…
Read full rule →Houston
Few RestrictionsTexas and Houston do not have specific bamboo-prohibiting laws. Running bamboo is legal to plant but can become a…
Read full rule →Irving
Few RestrictionsIrving does not have a specific bamboo ordinance. Running bamboo that encroaches on neighbor property may be addressed…
Read full rule →Tarrant County
Few RestrictionsTarrant County and its municipalities do not have specific ordinances banning or restricting bamboo. If bamboo spreads…
Read full rule →Prohibited Species
Plants that are banned or regulated in your area, including Japanese knotweed, kudzu, purple loosestrife, and other species that threaten native ecosystems.
Taylor
Heavy RestrictionsTaylor prohibits introducing or continuing invasive plant species anywhere covered by its landscaping ordinance, and…
Read full rule →Baytown
Some RestrictionsBaytown's ULDC bars developers from using any species on Appendix A's Table A-6 Prohibited Plants List in required…
Read full rule →Dallas
Some RestrictionsDallas Development Code Sec. 51A-10.103(e) bans invasive plants from any landscape required by the city's tree and…
Read full rule →Lubbock
Some RestrictionsLubbock's Unified Development Code keeps invasive and noxious plants out of the landscaping that developers must…
Read full rule →New Braunfels
Some RestrictionsNew Braunfels keeps a standing list of 'undesirable trees' that gets no benefit under the city's landscaping code…
Read full rule →Fort Worth
Light RestrictionsFort Worth follows the Texas Department of Agriculture's noxious weed list under Texas Agriculture Code Chapter 71…
Read full rule →Garland
Light RestrictionsThe Garland Development Code prohibits planting species defined as invasive (TPWD/TDA classification) in required…
Read full rule →Austin
Few RestrictionsAustin follows the Texas Department of Agriculture noxious weed list. The city's Environmental Criteria Manual…
Read full rule →Harris County
Few RestrictionsTexas maintains a noxious weed list under the Texas Agriculture Code, and the Texas Invasive Species Institute tracks…
Read full rule →Irving
Few RestrictionsIrving does not maintain a city-level prohibited plant species list. Texas Department of Agriculture and USDA regulate…
Read full rule →San Antonio
Few RestrictionsSan Antonio names eight non-native invasive tree species, including Chinese tallow, tree of heaven and salt cedar, as…
Read full rule →Tarrant County
Few RestrictionsTarrant County defers to the Texas Department of Agriculture's noxious weed list for prohibited species. The state list…
Read full rule →Front Yard Gardens
Whether your city allows vegetable gardens, wildflower meadows, or native plant landscapes in the front yard, including any height limits or appearance standards.
Austin
Few RestrictionsAustin allows and encourages front yard vegetable gardens. Texas HB 1643 (2023) prohibits HOAs from banning vegetable…
Read full rule →Bexar County
Few RestrictionsTexas HB 1686 (2023) protects front-yard vegetable gardens across Bexar County. Neither municipalities nor HOAs can ban…
Read full rule →Fort Worth
Few RestrictionsFort Worth allows front yard vegetable gardens. Texas HB 1643 (2023) prohibits HOAs from banning vegetable gardens, and…
Read full rule →Harris County
Few RestrictionsHarris County and the City of Houston do not prohibit front yard vegetable gardens. Texas HB 699 (2023) prohibits…
Read full rule →Houston
Few RestrictionsHouston permits front yard gardens including vegetable gardens on residential property. With no zoning ordinance…
Read full rule →Irving
Few RestrictionsIrving does not prohibit front yard vegetable gardens. Texas HB 2436 protects homeowners' right to grow gardens. HOAs…
Read full rule →Tarrant County
Few RestrictionsTexas HB 1686 (effective 2023) prohibits HOAs and municipalities from banning front-yard vegetable gardens. Tarrant…
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.
Taylor
Heavy RestrictionsTaylor's landscape ordinance flatly bans introducing or continuing Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) anywhere…
Read full rule →Lubbock
Some RestrictionsLubbock's parks and recreation article expressly names tree of heaven on its prohibited street tree species list. It…
Read full rule →Dallas
Few RestrictionsDallas Development Code Sec. 51A-10.101(64)(G) lists tree-of-heaven, or Ailanthus, as an unprotected tree species…
Read full rule →Fort Worth
Few RestrictionsFort Worth's Urban Forestry Ordinance places Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) on Table A, the 'unprotected tree…
Read full rule →Garland
Few RestrictionsGarland's Development Code names Tree-of-heaven, or Ailanthus, as an Unprotected Tree under Section 4.55(R). That…
Read full rule →San Antonio
Few RestrictionsSan Antonio's Unified Development Code excludes Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) from tree preservation protection…
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