PlantLegit

Is bamboo illegal in Massachusetts?

No statewide ban. Bamboo is not on the Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List, but some towns ban planting it.Checked against official sources October 19, 2026. Local ordinances vary.

What the law says

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Prohibited Plant List does not include bamboo.

Town bylaws: for example, Lexington's Chapter 131 (adopted at a 2020 Special Town Meeting) bans planting, replanting or transplanting running bamboo, requires a barrier or planter for existing running bamboo, and penalizes bamboo of any kind that grows past the property line after June 15, 2021. Check your town's bylaws.

Want a privacy screen instead?

Bamboo is usually planted for privacy. Native evergreens like wax myrtle and yaupon holly are rated fast-growing by NC State Extension; see fast-growing privacy trees & hedges (native). Giant cane (Arundinaria gigantea) is a native bamboo-like grass in parts of the eastern US.

More: bamboo laws in other states · Virginia · all Massachusetts plant laws

Sources

  1. Mass.gov: Massachusetts Prohibited Plant List (MDAR)
  2. Town of Lexington, MA: Running Bamboo (Chapter 131)

Checked October 19, 2026. Not legal or professional advice; the official text controls.