Best Plants for a Fire-Wise Garden

If you live in a fire-prone area, it is much easier and less expensive to prevent fire damage than to fix it. Below is some choice plants for a fire wise (and drought-tolerant) garden.

Pinemat Manzanita or Arctostaphylos uva-ursi is a great ground cover with winter interest (red-tinged leaves) and delicate pink blossoms in the spring.
Plant in sun to light shade. Pinemat Manzanita is a good slope stabilizer, and its leaves make an excellent tea. Sunset Zones A1-A3, 1-9, 14-24

---

Senecio mandraliscae, S. serpens, S. talinoides, or S. vitalis are great choices as succulent ground covers. These plants are also known as Chalk Fingers or Chalk Sticks. Zones vary, but range from 12 to 24, plus H1 and H2.

---

Aloe species are usually succulent rosettes with showy, tubular flowers. Sharp drainage is key to keeping Aloes (and all succulents) happy. Over watering or heavy clay may cause the roots to rot. Some are cold hardy, others will only thrive in frost-free zones. If you live in Santa Barbara area, check out San Marcos Growers selection of Aloes (note - SM Growers are wholesale only).

---

French Lavender
It would seem that the oils contained in this fragrant shrub would go up in a second, but if watered regularly, this perennial is slow to catch fire.
Plus, Lavandula dentata is beautiful, drought tolerant and smells delightful. French Lavender is easy to grow in full sun and makes an excellent dried flower. Sunset Zones 8, 9, 12-24.

---

Crassula ovata, or Jade plant, is another succulent-leaved perennial that takes shade or sun. It requires very little water and practically no care. It can grow about 4' tall and wide outdoors where temperatures stay above 30 degrees.

---

Agave species
These structurally striking gems are native to the most wildfire prone parts of the country, the West and Southwest. There are so many Agave species to choose from, each one remarkably beautiful.  Zones vary.

---

Mimulus sp. (shown is recently renamed Diplacus aurantiacus) are charming, versatile, and heat adapted perennials native to the West. 
Blooms are usually orange, but also come in yellow, red, or bi-colored. They are easy to grow in Southern California and bloom for most of the year and attract hummingbirds and Checkerspot butterflies. Zones Vary.

---

Ice plants comprise several genus. Delosperma species are vibrantly hued ground covers that tolerate dry, hot, and low fertile soil conditions. Aptenia is a super easy ground cover that attracts pollinators. Carpobrotus edulis has naturalized in many areas of California. Lampranthus is another popular ice plant whose name literally means 'shining-flowers' due to its vibrant hues.

---

Landscaping with fire in mind:

• Use boulders, stone walls, stone gabions, and brick walls to thwart the flames.
• Don't use overly dry organic mulch to cover your garden beds, instead use decomposed granite or gravel to fill spaces and keep the soil moist.
• Get a safety assessment from your local fire department; they can tell how to better prepare your home against a fire.
• Clean your property - don't let rubbish piles or junk lie around.
• Tree spacing should be a minimum of ten feet apart, and shrubs a minimum of four.

More Resources