Lawyer warned Volgograd residents about fines for growing goldenrod
This was told by RIA managing partner of the law firm Artemy Kupriyanov
Canadian Golden, which many perceive as a harmless ornamental plant, from March 1, 2026 officially equated to foreign cultures. For its cultivation on the site, the owner faces a fine of up to 700 thousand rubles.
“The land code and the law on environmental protection oblige land owners to protect the land from dangerous invasive plants and destroy them,” Kupriyanov said. Invasive are alien plants, the spread of which threatens ecosystems, biodiversity, human health and certain sectors of the economy. The most famous of these is the Hogweed.
The danger of goldenrod is that it quickly forms dense thickets and displaces local plants. One bush can produce up to 100,000 seeds with a germination of up to 95%, and the roots secrete substances that inhibit the growth of other vegetation. Since the beginning of the XXI century, the plant has spread to 49 regions of Russia, and the density of its thickets can reach 300 shoots per square meter. In most cases, the list of dangerous invasive plants is determined by the regions themselves, so the owner should monitor local regulations.
It is emphasized that fines depend on the severity of the consequences. If thickets adversely affect the quality of the soil, liability under part 2 of article 8.7 of the administrative code of the Russian Federation is possible - up to 50 thousand rubles for citizens and up to 700 thousand rubles for legal entities. The maximum risk is created by part 4 of article 8.8 of the administrative code of the Russian Federation: it is applied if due to weeds, the site is actually impossible to use for its intended purpose.
