WISE For more information: FIREWISE FIRE Firewise Techniques For Homeowners and Why Ground Covers & Vines? Communities Attributes that decrease flammability: http://www.firewise.org Landscaping • Low oil or resin content Wildfires are a part of life in southern National Interagency Fire Center • High moisture content Idaho. Firewise landscaping can help http://www.nifc.gov • Low growth form reduce the risk of wildfire burning your • Compact growth form home. All plants are flammable, but Firewise Plant Sources • High soap or salt content some plants are more fire resistant • Large leaves Farwest Landscape & Garden Center than others. Boise, Idaho • Green stems (208) 853-4000 It is best to avoid plants such as sage, http://www.farwestlandscape.net Ground covers are an excellent choice pine and juniper which contain volatile With for the first 4-5 feet around a home. oils or resins and are extremely High Country Gardens They produce little or no flame length Santa Fe, New Mexico flammable. (800) 925-9387 to ignite a house and do not require http://www.highcountrygardens.com Vines much water. Many fire resistant vines like the Akebia (shown below) can be trained Mountain States Wholesale Nursery The chart below illustrates different on arbors or fences or as a ground Glendale, Arizona & types of plants and their relative fire (800) 840-8509 cover; flowers are reddish to purple- http://www.mswn.com resistance. Vines and ground covers brown, about 1 inch across with a Ground are generally more fire resistant than sweet fragrance; plants prefer full-part University of Idaho Nursery other plant types, are inexpensive, sun and moderate water use; 15’ tall x Moscow, Idaho and require little maintenance. (208) 885-3888 Covers 12’ wide. http://www.seedlings.uidaho.com Conifers Less Fire Resistant The Firewise demonstration garden is a Grasses cooperative project between the College of Western Idaho Horticulture program Shrubs and the Bureau of Land Management. The garden can be viewed at the Idaho Deciduous trees Botanical Garden. Perennials Brochure developed by Brett Van Paepeghem, Roger Rosentreter, and Ann DeBolt. 2010 Annuals BLM/ID/GI-10/004+5320 Vines Ground covers

Succulents More Fire Resistant Fire Resistant Ground Covers Fire Resistant Vines Common Name Botanical Name Common Name Botanical Name Ajuga * Ajuga reptans Chocolate vine Akebia quinata Basket-of-gold Aurinia saxatilis Clematis Clematis spp. Caucasica sage Artemisia caucasica Climbing hydrangea Hydrangea anomala petiolaris Creeping phlox Phlox subulata Dragon Lady crossvine Bignonia capreolata ‘Dragon Lady’ Creeping thyme Thymus praecox AJUGA PINK ICEPLANT CLEMATIS SILVER LACE VINE Grapes Vitis spp. Giant flowered soapwort Saponaria x lempergii (Ajuga reptans) (Delosperma cooperi) (Clematis spp.) (Polygonum aubertii) Honeysuckle Lonicera spp. & hybrids Green mat penstemon Penstemon davidsonii • Foliage turns purplish • Succulent bright green foliage • Medium fire resistance rating • Profuse white blooms Hops vine Humulus lupulus Ground cover rose Rosa hybrid • Purple blooms in spring • Bright pink blossoms • Fine twiggy stems • Invasive in some areas • Prefers part shade-shade • Prefers full-part sun • Prefers full sun but shady feet • Prefers full sun Kiwi vine Actinidia kolomikta Hardy plumbago * Ceratostigma plumbaginoides • Moderate - high water use • Moderate water use • Moderate water use • Low water use Matrimony vine * Lycium barbarum • 4” tall x 24” wide • 2” tall x 18” wide • 15’ tall x 5-10’ wide • 25’ tall x 25’ wide Hens & chicks Echeveria spp. Purpleleaf grape Vitis vinifera Hummelo lamb’s ear Stachys monieri ‘Hummelo’ Silver lace vine * Polygonum aubertii Japanese pachysandra * Pachysandra terminalis Sweet autumn clematis Clematis terniflora Lamb’s ear Stachys byzantina Sweet pea * Lathyrus latifolius Lily-of-the-valley * Convallaria majalis Trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens Mat penstemon Penstemon caespitosus Trumpet vine Campsis radicans Mother of thyme Thymus serphyllum Virginia creeper * Parthenocissus quinquefolia Pink iceplant Delosperma cooperi Wisteria Wisteria spp. Poppy mallow Callirhoe involucrata Can be invasive * Pussytoes Antennaria spp. CAUCASICA SAGE PUSSYTOES GRAPE VINE TRUMPET VINE

Rock soapwort Saponaria ocymoides (Artemisia caucasica) (Antennaria spp.) (Vitis spp.) (Campsis radicans) Rockcress Arabis spp. • Velvety silver-green foliage • Soft silvery gray foliage • Large deep green leaves • Large blooms in various colors • Great rock garden plant • Unique blooms • Edible fruit • Attracts hummingbirds Firewise landscapes use metal fencing Silver edged horehound Marrubium rotundifolium • Prefers full sun • Prefers full sun • Prefers full-part sun • Prefers full sun Snow-in-summer Cerastium tomentosum • Low water use • Low water use • Moderate water use • Low water use materials to reduce flammability. Growing • 5” tall x 24” wide • 6” tall x 18” wide • Train & prune to variable sizes • 20-40’ tall x 15’ wide Turkish speedwell * Veronica liwanensis vines on a metal fence creates a ‘Green Fence’, which could help stop a wildfire. Need some shade * Many vines, like honeysuckle, are more fire resistant because of their high Ground covers have a low growth form moisture content. This attractive vine and are generally more compact, which blooms throughout the summer and facilitates higher fire resistance than attracts hummingbirds. many other plant types. GREEN MAT PENSTEMON ROCK SOAPWORT HONEYSUCKLE VIRGINIA CREEPER (Penstemon davidsonii) (Saponaria ocymoides) (Lonicera spp.) (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) • Evergreen • Profuse pink blooms • Fragrant blooms, color varies • Vibrant red fall color • Compact glossy green foliage • High soap content • Contains fire resistant soap • Can be invasive • Low water use • Prefers full-part sun • Prefers full-part sun • Fast growing • 2” tall x 12” wide • Moderate water use • Moderate water use • Moderate water use • 24” tall x 24” wide • 12’ tall x 9’ wide • 30’ tall x 30’ wide

Giant flowered soapwort contains soap, LAMB’S EAR SILVER EDGED HOPS VINE WISTERIA Honeysuckle contains soap and a large (Stachys byzantina) HOREHOUND (Humulus lupulus) (Wisteria spp.) which facilitates higher fire resistance. (Marrubium rotundifolium) • Extremely fast growing • Purple, violet, pink, or white amount of moisture, which facilitates fire • Soft textured silvery foliage • Soft foliage with silvery edges • Cut back to the ground yearly blooms hang up to 30” long resistance. Available in various colors, it It blooms throughout the summer, and • Prefers full-part sun • Prefers full sun • Prefers full sun • Prefers full-part sun grows 6” tall x 48” wide. • Moderate water use • Low water use • Moderate water use • Moderate - high water use grows 12’ tall x 9’ wide. • 10” tall x 24” wide • 10” tall x 18” wide • 15’ tall x 15’ wide • 30’ tall x 30’ wide