Fire-Resistant Plants for California
When choosing plants, you probably consider color, texture and maintenance. Gardeners who live near forest or rangeland should also consider the flammability of plants around the home. Choose moist-leafed, low-growing plants with watery sap to reduce fire hazards. Does this Spark an idea?
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Ground Cover
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Ground cover can both reduce risk of fire damage and help control erosion. Fire-resistant perennial ground covers include wooly yarrow (Achillea tomentosa var. Moonshine), carpet bugle (Ajuga reptans), mock strawberry (Duchesnea indica), creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra), O'Connor's legume (Trifolium fragiferum) and dwarf running myrtle (Vinca minor). Fire-resistant evergreen perennials include Hall's honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica Halliana), wild strawberry (Fragaria chiloenisis), evergreen candytuft (Iberis semperviren), snow in summer (Cerastium tomentosum) and silver spreader (Artemisia caucasica).
Shrubs
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Fire-resistant shrubs can form a barrier around your yard or garden while adding visual interest to the landscape. Fire-resistant perennial shrub species include white yarrow (Achillea millefolium white), golden yarrow (Eriophyllum confertiflorum) and pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritace). Fire-resistant evergreen shrub species include sandhill sage (Artemisia pycnocephala), likiano (Cotoneaster congestus) and four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens).
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Trees
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Fire-resistant deciduous trees for California include the bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), box elder (Acer negundo), California buckeye (Aeschulus californica) and the white alder (Alnus rhombifoli). Fire-resistant coniferous and evergreen species include the madrone (Arbutus menziesi), the western redbud (Cercis occidentali) and the Manzanita (Arctostaphylos Manzanita).
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References
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Fire-Resistant Plants for Oregon Home Landscapes
- University of California Cooperative Extension: Fire-Resistant Landscaping Plants for the Sierra Springs Area
- University of California Cooperative Extension Fire-Resistant Landscaping Plants for the Cool Areas
Resources
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