Fire Resistant Native Plants in Alameda County

Fire-resistant landscaping requires careful plant selection, placement, spacing, and maintenance to help resist the spread of fire to your home. Fire-resistant plants are usually easier to maintain and more naturally resistant to igniting from flames and embers. These plants(or any plant) are NOT “fireproof” and all require irrigation and frequent maintenance to resist ignition. These plants have been rated "fire-resistant" by the agencies listed under "Source."

Thanks to Kathy Kramer with Bringing Back the Natives for compiling this list, please donate to this great organization!

FSM: Fire Safe Marin FSCM: Fire Safe Council of Monterey WFCA: Western Fire Chiefs Association

A = Annual      C = Cover      G = Grass      H = Hedge or Screen     P = Perennial    S = Shrub        T = Tree      V = Vine

Latin Name	Common Name	Form	Local Native	Best for Birds and Butterflies	Source
Acer macrophylum	Big Leaf Maple	T	x	x	FSM
Acer negundo	Box Elder	T	x	x	FSM
Achillea millefolium	Yarrow	P	x	x	FSM
Aesculus californica	Buckeye	T	x	x	FSCM
Aquilegia formosa	Western Columbine	P	x		FSM
Alnus rhombifolia	White Alder	T	x	x	FSCM
Arctostaphyllos uva-ursi	Kinnikinnick	S	x		WFCA
Armeria maritima	Common Thrift	C	x		FSM
Asarum caudatum	Wild Ginger	P	x		FSM
Berberis aquifolium var. repens	Creeping Mahonia	S			FSM
Carpenteria californica	Bush Anemone	S			FSM
Cercis occidentalis	Western Redbud	T			FSM
Cercocarpus betuloides	Mountain Mahogany	T	x	x	FSM
Clinopodium douglasii	Yerba Buena	P	x		FSM
Dicentra formosa	Western Bleeding Heart	P	x		FSM
Dudleya farinosa	Bluff or Cliff Lettuce	P	x		FSM
Eriogonum arborescens	Santa Cruz Island	S	x		FSM
Eriogonum cinereum	Ashyleaf Buckwheat	S	x		FSM
Eriogonum crocatum	Conejo or Saffron Buckwheat	P	x		FSM
Eriogonum grande	Redflower Buckwheat	P	x		FSM
Eriogonum latifolium	Coast Buckwheat	P	x	x	FSM
Eriogonum nudum	Nude Buckwheat	P	x	x	FSM
Eriogonum nudum 'Ella Nelson's Yellow'	Buckwheat 'Ella Nelson's Yellow'	P	x		FSM
Eriogonum strictum	Greene's Buckwheat	P	x		FSM
Eriogonum parvifolium	Sea Cliff Buckwheat	S	x		FSM
Eriogonum umbellatum	Sulphur Buckwheat	P	x		FSM
Eriophyllum confertiflorum	Golden Yarrow	P	x		FSM
Eriophyllum staechadifolium	Lizardtail	P	x		FSM
Erysimum capitatum	Wallflower	P			FSM
Eschscholzia sp.	California Poppy	P	x		FSM
Festuca rubra	Creeping Red Fescue	P	x		FSM
Fragaria chiloensis	Beach Strawberry	C	x	x	FSM
Fragaria vesca	Woodland Strawberry	C	x	x	FSM
Frangula californica	Coffeeberry	S	x	x	FSCM
Fraxinus dipetala	California Ash	T	x		FSM
Fraxinus latifolia	Oregon Ash	T	x		FSM
Gambelia speciosa	Island Snapdragon	S			FSCM
Grindelia stricta	Gum Plant	P	x	x	FSM
Grindelia camporum	Great Valley Gumplant	P	x	x	FSM
Heuchera maxima	Island Alum Root	P			FSM
Heuchera micrantha	Coral Bells	P	x		FSM
Iris douglasiana	Douglas Iris	P	x		FSM
Lavatera assurgentiflora	Tree Mallow	S			FSM
Leptosyne gigantea	Giant Coreopsis	S			FSM
Lonicera hispidula	Pink Honeysuckle	V	x	x	FSM
Lupinus albifrons	Silver Lupine	P	x	x	FSM
Lupinus arboreus	Coastal Bush Lupine	S	x	x	FSM
Lupinus bicolor	Miniature Lupine	A	x	x	FSM
Lupinus latifolius	Broadleaf Lupine	P	x	x	FSM
Lupinus microcarpus	Chick Lupine	A	x	x	FSM
Lupinus nanus	Sky Lupine	A	x	x	FSM
Mimulus sp.	Monkeyflower	P/S	x		FSM
Monardella villosa	Coyote Mint	P	x		FSM
Myrica californica	Pacific Wax Myrtle	H	x		FSM
Phyla nodiflora	Common Lippia	C	x		FSM
Polystichum munitum	Sword Fern	P	x		FSM
Prunus ilicifolia	Hollyleaf Cherry	H	x		FSM
Prunus ilicifolia ss lyonii	Catalina Cherry	S	x		FSM
Quercus agrifolia	Coast Live Oak	T	x	x	FSCM
Ranunculus californicus	Buttercup	P	x		FSM
Rhamnus crocea	Spiny Redberry	S	x	x	FSM
Rhamnus ilicifolia	Hollyleaf Redberry	S	x	x	FSM
Rhododendron macrophyllum	Pacific Rhododendron	S	x		FSM
Rhododendron occidentale	Western Azalea	S	x		FSM
Rhus integrifolia	Lemonade Berry	S	x		FSM
Ribes viburnifolium	Catalina Currant	S			FSCM
Salvia sonomensis	Sandhill Sage	S/P			FSCM
Sedum spathulifolium	Stonecrop	C	c		FSM
Sidalcea malviflora	Checkerbloom	P	x		FSM
Sisyrinchium bellum	Blue-eyed Grass	P	x		FSM
Sisyrinchium californicum	Yellow-eyed Grass	P	x		FSM
Stachys ajugoides	Hedge Nettle	P	x	x	FSCM
Symphotrichum chilensis	Wild Aster	P	x	x	FSM
Symphoricarpos mollis	Creeping Snowberry	V	x	x	FSM
Triteleia laxa	Ithuriel's Spear	P	x		FSM
Zauschneria californica	California Fuchsia	P	x		FSM

Disclaimer The purpose of this document is to provide homeowners with guidance on ways to landscape their property with fire-resistant plants to help reduce losses from wildfire damage. It contains suggestions and recommendations based on experts' professional judgment, experience, and research and is intended to serve only as a guide. The author disclaims all warranties and guarantees with respect to the information in the document and assumes no liability or responsibility with respect to the information.