Arizona treats unauthorized removal of native saguaro cactuses as a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison due to strict Native Plant Protection laws.
New York Property Rules
New York focuses protections on trees, with Environmental Conservation Law § 9-1501 prohibiting tree removal on another’s land without consent, and NYC codes fining illegal street or park tree damage up to $15,000. No statewide or local laws target cactuses specifically, as they aren’t native fixtures like saguaros; prickly pear may appear in wild areas but faces no removal bans on private property.
Exceptions
Protected native plants under 6 NYCRR § 193.3 cannot be picked or damaged statewide, but cactuses aren’t listed, and invasive species removal is encouraged. Homeowners can remove yard plants freely unless local zoning deems them nuisances.
[1](https://www.nycgovparks.org/services/forestry/illegal-tree-work)
[2](https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/env/article-9/title-15/9-1501/)
[3](https://woodyinvasives.org/regulatory-information/new-york/)
[4](https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCrules/0-0-0-88524)
[5](https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/new-york/6-NYCRR-193.3)
