- What makes a plant fire-resistant?<\/a><\/li>
- What to consider when choosing fire-resistant plants<\/a><\/li>
- Fire-resistant trees<\/a><\/li>
- Fire-resistant shrubs<\/a><\/li>
- Fire-resistant groundcovers<\/a><\/li>
- Fire-resistant flowers<\/a><\/li>
- FAQ about fire-resistant plants<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
What makes a plant fire-resistant?<\/span><\/h2>
Fire-resistant plants (also called ignition-resistant plants) have characteristics that make them less likely to ignite or contribute to the spread of wildfires. Their foliage and stems don\u2019t easily burn, and they usually produce fewer embers if they do burn. <\/p>
But fire-resistant doesn\u2019t mean fireproof. <\/p>
\u201cNothing is fireproof in the plant world,\u201d says Deryn Davidson, Sustainable Landscape state specialist at Colorado State University Extension. A high-intensity fire can overcome a fire-resistant plant.<\/p>
What to consider when choosing fire-resistant plants<\/span><\/h2>
There are a few things you should keep in mind before you begin loading your cart at the garden center:<\/p>
The plant\u2019s fire-resistance rating<\/span><\/h3>
Plants have a fire-resistance rating (also called a flammability rating) that ranges from 10 to 1. High scores have low flammability; low scores indicate high flammability. These lists can be found on the internet (Colorado State\u2019s Extension has one, as does Idaho Firewise, a nonprofit that promotes wildland fire education.) <\/p>
Know that flammability ratings aren\u2019t standard across the U.S. But if you can\u2019t find a list for your area, other lists may still be useful. For example: \u201cIdaho is a leader in fire- and ignition- resistant plant material, so their rating would hold true anywhere,\u201d Davidson says. <\/p>
Plan to space them properly <\/span><\/h3>
It\u2019s tempting to buy lots of plants, with the idea of squeezing them into a large bed or around the trees. But don\u2019t. Besides being bad for plant health, closely spaced plants are considered \u201cladder fuels.\u201d If they ignite, the flames will spread from the ground up.<\/p>
\u201dThe spacing is important when you\u2019re looking at ladder fuels (like) having ground covers that touch perennials, that touch shrubs, that touch trees,\u201d Davidson says. \u201cIf one of those catches fire, the flames can follow the plant material up to the tree canopy like a ladder.\u201d<\/p>
Plan to maintain your landscape<\/span><\/h3>
Dead plants are great fuel for fire, so, your fire-resistant plants need regular watering, pruning, and proper nutrition, just like any other plant. But maintenance in a defensible zone extends beyond plant care, Davidson says. <\/p>
\u201cMaintenance is key,\u201d she says. That\u2019s \u201ckeeping tree debris off roofs and out of gutters, keeping plant material cleaned up. <\/p>
For more information on setting up a defensible zone, including proper plant spacing, see How to Create Fire-Resistant Landscaping<\/a>.<\/p>
Fire-resistant trees<\/span><\/h2>
![\"Three](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Fire-resistant-trees.jpg\")
Photo credits, from left: douglasmack<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock, Maria Brzostowska<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock, and Ted<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Many varieties of trees are fire-resistant. Deciduous trees tend to be more fire-resistant because they have a higher moisture content. They also lose their leaves in the winter, which reduces the amount of available fuel for a fire. <\/p>
- What to consider when choosing fire-resistant plants<\/a><\/li>
![\"Three](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Fire-resistant-shrubs.jpg\")
![\"Fire-resistant](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Fire-resistant-groundcovers.jpg\")
![\"Fire-resistant](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Fire-resistant-flowers.jpg\")