A little research turned up a little factoid, that oleanders are banned in the City of Norco, Riverside County, California (suicidal horsey-chow) as well as in many HOAs.

Any other banned plants you know of?

Or general categories, i.e., "higher than the roofline" etc.?

Yes, I agree, I don't love HOAs , but they're around.

So, how about it? What's banned by your HOA? Or the one you ran screaming from?

The one I ran screaming from is the right way to put it. In that HOA, EVERYTHING was banned, except the things they had on the approved plant list. Even though everything was banned that wasn't approved, they also had a specifically prohibited list, one thing on the specifically prohibited list was Nerium oleander, and one thing on the approved list was.......Oleander 'petite pink', so go figure. There were also a lot of other contradictios on the list. And petite pink? Come on, that's actually far from my favorite cultivar, and other dwarf varieties? banned? Gimme a break HOA.

My older son and daughter-in-law bought a house in a "planned development" in 2004 because she was convinced such a community was a safer place for her children to live. Tiny lots, short driveways and little to no street parking. They had to contact the HOA for permission to plant anything. And palms, in particular, were verboten. BTW, this was across the river in Ft. Myers, FL. Go figure.

According to all the local customers I have talked to, HOA in Lakewood Ranch here in the Bradenton/Sarasota area supposedly says no to planting Citrus or any other Fruit trees.. Don't think they allow Veggie gardens either.. Hate HOAs

-Nathan

My mother used to live in a planned community in Lakeworth, FL. I planted a Kentiopsis olivformis way back when they were not very common. When the palm began to trunk, the HOA gestapo realized this was a non-approved plant. They wanted it removed and replaced with a Queen. I appeared before the board and informed them they wanted a Neiman Marcus palm removed for a K-Mart blue light special. Then I informed them that the Queens they had the landscapers install at a premium price were not even grade 2 and had no commercial value.

Mom got to keep her palm, lots of yelling and pale faces when I exited that meeting.

My mother used to live in a planned community in Lakeworth, FL. I planted a Kentiopsis olivformis way back when they were not very common. When the palm began to trunk, the HOA gestapo realized this was a non-approved plant. They wanted it removed and replaced with a Queen. I appeared before the board and informed them they wanted a Neiman Marcus palm removed for a K-Mart blue light special. Then I informed them that the Queens they had the landscapers install at a premium price were not even grade 2 and had no commercial value.

Mom got to keep her palm, lots of yelling and pale faces when I exited that meeting.

You go!

Did you actually use K-Mart and Nieman Marcus?

Bet Wal Mart wasn't even in town then . . .

Hi DoomsDave. I don't see the same fear of oleander here in Florida that I hear about in California. Oleander is pretty common here, especially as highway median plantings anywhere in central Florida. Oleander just isn't something that a person or animal are likely to eat, right? It just doesn't look edible.

However, I think that children are attracted to the red beans on the red caster bean plant, i.e. ricinis communis 'carmencita'. I rarely, if ever, see this plant in Florida, but it seems to be reasonably common in Europe. It should probably be banned more because thos beans are supposed to be deadly.

I also wonder why you see so much pencil cactus for sale at Home Depot (euphorbia tirucalli). I love the way it looks, but the sap is alleged to be incredibly dangerous. If you squeeze the plant a little bit, sap comes out. Every time you knock it and a piece breaks off, that milky sap is there again. I have heard that a bit of the sap in your eye will cause blindness (probably not entirely true) and that death may ensue if you inject the sap. Although these plants are not banned where I live, I am thinking about disposing of my two pencil cactus plants.

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Edited January 29, 201511 yr by Sandy Loam

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Edited January 29, 201511 yr by Sandy Loam

Who was it years and years ago from PT who moved his huge bamboo collection into his new digs only to be told by the HOA that they were persona non gratis. He was stuck.

Ammon's example is a lot more common than you'd think. Most people running HOAs really don't have a clue. Many do it because they have nothing better to do, or because they want power over others.

Here's a website describing HOAs, PUDs, CIDs and all the rest in CA, the good bad and ugly. http://www.calhomelaw.org/

Sunshine, go away today
I don't feel much like dancin'
Some man's come he's trying to run my life
Don't know what he's askin'
Working starts to make me wonder where
Fruits of what I do are goin'

He can't even run his own life

I'll be damned if he'll run mine, sunshine

Regarding the Lakewood Ranch HOA not allowing citrus/fruit trees, this is absurd as they bill themselves as the "largest green community in America".

Edited January 29, 201511 yr by JungleGina

JungleGina, I hear ya. Surprised me when I asked around. A certain nursery near LWR doesn't stock much in vegetables due to the restrictions imposed on their largest pool of nearby customers. At least this is what I was told.

-Nathan

Edited January 29, 201511 yr by Silas_Sancona

Regarding the Lakewood Ranch HOA not allowing citrus/fruit trees, this is absurd as they bill themselves as the "largest green community in America".

Sure sounds like it.

I'd be curious to find out more. I'll bet the reason is that many people will use pesticides on their food crops, which the HOA doesn't want at all. Or, possibly farmers don't want people raising crops in their home gardens without pesticides which they say might be reservoirs for pests they can't control.

Sometimes this stuff gets real convoluted. I'm really curious to know the reason, if you can find out.

My mother used to live in a planned community in Lakeworth, FL. I planted a Kentiopsis olivformis way back when they were not very common. When the palm began to trunk, the HOA gestapo realized this was a non-approved plant. They wanted it removed and replaced with a Queen. I appeared before the board and informed them they wanted a Neiman Marcus palm removed for a K-Mart blue light special. Then I informed them that the Queens they had the landscapers install at a premium price were not even grade 2 and had no commercial value.

Mom got to keep her palm, lots of yelling and pale faces when I exited that meeting.

Awesome story with an awesome ending.