No, chopping down a cactus in your Missouri yard won’t land you in jail—unlike Arizona’s felony protections for native saguaros. Missouri has no specific cactus removal laws treating them as protected species on private property.
Relevant Laws
State statutes like RSMo 229.475 prohibit removing plants from public highways or state property without permission (class B misdemeanor), but private yards are exempt.
Noxious weed controls (Chapter 263) target invasives like Johnson grass, not cacti; recent 2025 laws ban sales of certain invasives (e.g., Callery pear) starting 2029, without mandating private removal.
Yard Considerations
Confirm property lines via deed/survey to avoid disputes, as with prior cases.
Local ordinances might require permits for large vegetation removal; no statewide jail risk for typical yard cacti (often non-native).
Invasive plant rules focus on sales/control, not criminalizing personal trimming.
