Pennsylvania Native Plants Law 2024
Governor Josh Shapiro signed Rep. Brett Miller's bill into law in July 2024. It directs PennDOT to plant vegetation native to Pennsylvania along state highways and bans any species designated as invasive by the National Invasive Species Information Center (NISIC). The Senate passed it 45-2.
Quick version
- •This law applies to state highway rights-of-way, not to HOA rules or private yards.
- •PennDOT must select plants that are native to Pennsylvania and that thrive in local plant hardiness zones and environmental conditions.
- •No species on the federal invasive list (NISIC) may be planted along Pennsylvania highways.
- •If you search "native plant law Pennsylvania" or "PennDOT native plants," this is the law you're hearing about. It's a signal of state momentum toward native vegetation, even though it doesn't change what your HOA can do.
What this means for Pennsylvania homeowners
Pennsylvania does not yet have a law that limits HOAs from banning native plants or low-impact landscaping on your property. The 2024 law only affects what PennDOT plants along state roads.
If you live in an HOA and want to use native plants in your yard, you still need to work within your association's rules. Submitting a clear plan, using tidy edges and mulch, and choosing plants that look intentional from the curb all help. For a national picture of which states do protect HOA residents, see State Laws Protecting Native Plant Gardens.
More for Pennsylvania
We have a Pennsylvania rebates page for water conservation and landscaping programs. For city-level guides and plant picks as we add them, check the main site.
Ready to plan your native yard?
Pollinator Patch helps you pick the right plants for your zone, lay them out, and build a plan you can print and bring to your HOA board or landscaper.
Last updated: March 2026