Oh shoot! County Council votes to ban invasive running bamboo 

Native Plant Protection Act also regulates other harmful weeds including poison ivy, kudzu

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April 8, 2026 10:40 a.m.

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It could soon be illegal to sell or plant invasive running bamboo in Montgomery County after the County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to institute a ban. 

The Native Plant Protection Act, sponsored by Councilmember Evan Glass (D-At-large), specifically regulates invasive bamboo that can spread through runners — shoots that can stretch underground by up to 15 feet per year, according to a council staff report.    

“If you have a neighbor who has bamboo on their property, you know all about it, and you know how bad it can spread,” Glass said in his comments before Tuesday’s vote. He said the plant is known for destroying concrete patios and sidewalks and for crowding out native plants in its vicinity. 

Under the act, the commercial sale of invasive bamboo would be banned. The ban would not apply to bamboo meant for consumption or indoor bamboo houseplants and decorations.  

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County residents would also be prohibited from planting or transplanting invasive running bamboo on their property, though Glass emphasized that the law does not require residents to remove existing running bamboo from their yards.  

The same cannot be said for the eight plants considered noxious weeds by the Maryland Department of Agriculture and other species expressly named in the Native Plant Protection Act, such as poison ivy, ragweed and kudzu.  

If property owners allow those plants to grow unchecked, they could receive a notice of violation from the county. The property owner would have to remove the plants by a deadline. If the plants aren’t removed, the county would remove them at the owner’s expense, according to the act.  

The act also expressly protects native plants and grasses from removal under the county’s rules about plant overgrowth. According to a Tuesday press release from Glass’ office, native plants can help reduce erosion and runoff by increasing soil’s capacity to store water.  

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The bamboo ban would be enforced by the county’s Department of Environmental Protection, while the Department of Housing and Community Affairs would enforce other provisions of the law. The measure now heads to County Executive Marc Elrich (D), who had not indicated whether he would sign it as of Wednesday morning. 

Councilmembers Kate Stewart (D-Dist. 4) and Dawn Luedtke (D-Dist. 7) co-sponsored the bill passed by the council on Tuesday. The measure was initially proposed last summer alongside a zoning text amendment that aimed to increase the percentage of native plants used in landscaping for new construction projects in the county.  

The council’s Planning, Housing and Parks Committee held a hearing on the zoning text amendment in October. During that hearing, the committee agreed to seek additional information from landscapers and other market experts before taking a vote on the measure.  

Luedtke told Bethesda Today after Tuesday’s vote that she did not believe the zoning text amendment would be advancing to the full council.

Glass is one of three sitting councilmembers seeking the Democratic nomination for county executive in the June 23 primary election. The others are Councilmembers Will Jawando (D-At-large) and Andrew Friedson (D-Dist. 1). Luedtke and Stewart are both seeking re-election to their council seats. 

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine