Fire Retardant Garden There are no fireproof plants, but the ones listed here are known to be fire resistant or fire retardant. Though these plants can be damaged or killed by flames, their foliage and stems don't contribute significantly to the fuel or intensity of a fire.
Common Name Latin Name Type Max HxW Ornamental Value
         
Autumn Sage Salvia greggi S 3' x 3' Red flowers, aromatic mid-summer to mid-fall
Big Berry Manzanita Arctostaphylos glauca S 10' x 6' White to pink flowers
Black Sage Salvia mellifera S 1' X 1' Fragrant with lavender flowers
Bladder pod Isomeris arborea S 4' x 5' Yellow flowers almost all year
Buck Brush Ceanothus cuneatus S 8' X 10' White to light blue flowers in late winter to mid-spring
California Fremontia, Flannelbush Fremontodendron californicum T 12' X 15' 1 to 2 inch yellow flowers in spring
California Fucshia Zauschneria californica S 3' X 5' Red flowers from mid-spring to early winter
California Lilac Ceanothus greggii vestitus S 6' X 6' White flowers in spring through summer
Canyon Live Oak, Goldencup Oak Quercus chrysolepis T 30' X 25' Shade, evergreen, large acorns
Century Plant Agave americana YA 7' x 12' Evergreen, yellow flower once at about 10 years or more (monocarpic), stalk 15 to 30 feet high
Cleveland Sage Salvia clevelandii S 4' x 4' Purple trumpet shaped flowers spring to summer, evergreen, fragrant
Coast Live Oak Quercus agrifolia T 20' X 40' Deep shade
Coffeyberry Rhamnus californica T, S 5' X 10' Greenish white to yellow flowers in spring, dark red fruit later
Desert Agave Agave deserti A 3' x 3' Yellow flowers on stem up to 15' in June, grey leaves (monocarpic)
Desert Penstemon Penstemon pseudospectabilis S 2' x 2' Showy magenta (pink-purple) flowers in mid-summer
Desert Sage Salvia dorrii S 2' x 2' Blue flowers bloom late in spring , leaves fragrant
Dusty Miller (non-native) Senecio cineraria S 2' X 2' Attractive silver-gray foliage with yellow flowers
Dwarf Coyote Brush Baccharis pilularis Var. pilularis S 1' x 12' Evergreen groundcover, white flowers summer to fall
Eaton's Penstemon Penstemon eatoni S 3' x 2' Showy red flowers in spring
Foothill Penstemon Penstemon heterophyllus S 2' x 1' Showy violet flowers in spring
Gilia Beardtongue Penstemon ambiguus S 2' x 2' Uniquely showy light-pink flowered species for its extravagant late spring display
Grinnell's Penstemon Penstemon grinnellii S 2' x 2' Showy pink flowers in spring
Hairy Yerba Santa Eriodictyon trichocalyx S 6' X 6' White to purple flowers in spring
Hollyleaf Cherry Prunus ilicifolia T 5' X 10' White flower spikes, showy red cherries
Howard McMinn Manzanita Arctostaphylos densiflora S 8 ' x 12' Small, white to pinkish white flowers, appearing from late winter to spring
Interior Live Oak Quercus wislizenii T 10' X 20' Deep shade
Lechuguilla Agave lechuguilla YA 18' x 2' Evergreen, yellow-green flower April to August after rain
Mescal Ceniza Agave colorata YA 3' x 3' Yellow flowers on stem, grey leaves (monocarpic)
Mescal Pelon Agave pelona YA 6' x 6'
White bloom on stem in early spring, light green leaves (monocarpic)
Mojave Beardtongue Penstemon incertus S 3' x 3' Showy pink and blue flowers in spring to summer
Mojave Verbena Verbena gooddingii P 1' x 1'
Pale lavender-blue flowers from February to November, fragrant
Narrowleaf Yerba Santa Eriodictyon angustifolium S 3' x 3' White flowers in spring and summer
New Mexico Agave Agave neomexicana A 2' x 2' Evergreen, yellow flower once in spring
Orange Bush Monkeyflower Diplacus aurantiacus S 3' x 3' One inch yellow to orange to scarlet flowers in spring, dormant in summer in desert
Our Lord's Candle Yucca Yucca whipplei YA 3' x 4' Evergreen, white and purple flowers in spring
Palmer's Penstemon Penstemon palmeri S 2' x 1' Showy pink flowers in spring, aromatic
Parry's Penstemon Penstemon parryi S
3' x 2'
Rose-pink flowers in spring
Pineleaf Penstemon Penstemon pinifolius S 1' x 1' Showy red flowers in late spring, summer
Pointleaf Manzanita Arctostaphylos pungens S 6' x 6' White to pink flowers in late winter to spring, red berries in summer
Purple Nightshade Solanum xanti P 3' X 3' One inch blue to purple flowers bloom from late winter to early summer
Quadricolor Century Plant Agave lophantha CS 1' x 1' Evergreen, greyish green to yellow flower once at about 10 years or more (monocarpic), stalk 12 feet high
Redberry Rhamnus crocea T, B 12' X 9' White flowers in March and April, followed by showy red berries, tree looks like scrub oak
Red Yucca Hesperaloe parviflora CS 3' X 3' Evergreen, red flowers March through July
Rosemary (non-native) Rosmarinus officinalis S 3' X 5' Evergreen groundcover, blue flowers summer to fall
Royal Penstemon Penstemon spectabilis S 3' x 2' Purple-blue flowers in spring
Scarlet Bugler Penstemon centranthifolius S 1' x 2' Showy red flowers in spring
Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus S 8' x 8' Small flowers (1/4 inch), pinkish-white, and bell-shaped, white fruit
Soapweed Yucca Yucca glauca YA 3' x 3' Bell shaped flowers, greenish white, pendulous, June to August
Texas Tuberose Agave maculosa YA 2' x 3' Pale flowers on stem, spotted green leaves
Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia T 8' X 5' Small white flowers late spring to early summer, beautiful red fruit in clusters later
Weber's Century Plant Agave weberi YA 6' x 6' Evergreen blue-green toothed leaves, yellow flowers on 15 foot stalk (monocarpic
Western Redbud Cercis occidentalis T 20' X 10' Showy pink, purple, or white flowers in April, rosy seed pods in May
White Gaura Gaura lindheimeri S 18" x 2' Shiny pink flowers from mid-summer to fall, red to green foliage
White Sage Salvia apiana S 3' x 3' White flowers in spring, grey leaves, aromatic
Wooly Bluecurls Trichostema lanatum S 2' X 2' Blue-pink flowers in spring and fall, fragrant
Yellow Bush Snapdragon Keckiella antirrhinoides P 6' x 3' Wonderfully fragrant, bright yellow flowers spring and summer and elegant foliage
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References:
"The Best Fire-Retardant Plants for Your Home Landscape," http://best.fire-retardant-plants.ever.com/
Diablo Firesafe Council, http://www.diablofiresafe.org/tolerance.html
"Fire Safe Landscaping," California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, http://www.plumasfiresafe.org/Documents/treenote17.fire%20resits%20plant.3.pdf
The Green Scene, http://greenscenelandscape.com/index.htm
"Protecting Your Home from Brushfire," http://www.iinc.org/pdf/fire_retardant_plants.pdf