ORANGE COUNTY FIRE AUTHORITY Planning & Development Services Section 1 Fire Authority Road, Building A, Irvine, CA 92602 714-573-6100 www.ocfa.org Acceptable Plant Species for Homes Subject to Wildfires Approved and Authorized by Guideline C-06 Laura Blaul Fire Marshal / Assistant Chief Date: January 1, 2011 Serving the Cities of: Aliso Viejo • Buena Park • Cypress • Dana Point • Irvine • Laguna Hills • Laguna Niguel • Laguna Woods • Lake Forest • La Palma • Los Alamitos • Mission Viejo • Placentia • Rancho Santa Margarita • San Clemente • San Juan Capistrano • Santa Ana • Seal Beach • Stanton • Tustin • Villa Park • Westminster • Yorba Linda • and Unincorporated Areas of Orange County Orange County Fire Authority Page 1 of 13 Guideline C-06 Acceptable Plants Species for Homes Subject to Wildfires January 1, 2011 Guideline C-06: Acceptable Plant Species for Homes Subject to Wildfires PURPOSE The purpose of this guideline is to provide a list of plants that are generally more tolerant to the effects of fire and typically have lower burning characteristics. GENERAL INFORMATION This plant list was created and approved by various agencies. Although the plant list was designed specifically for landscape fuel modification zones, the plant species identified in the list are also a good choice for ornamental vegetation for use around your home or business in other areas subject to the effects of wildfires (please refer to the requirements in OCFA Vegetation Management Technical Design Guideline C-05 if your project involves fuel modification zones). Photographs of these plants can be found by searching the internet. All plant species will still burn given sufficient heat and low moisture content. To get the best results for fire resistance, plants installed should be grouped and spaced in accordance with Attachment 6 from the OCFA Guideline C-05 titled, “Vegetation Management Technical Design Guideline”. To locate this guideline, go to www.ocfa.org and click the Ready, Set, Go! link. Fire resistance will also be increased through appropriate irrigation frequencies. The best plant forms to reduce the effects of wildfire are succulents such as Aloe, Agave, and Cactus. Additional plant forms that are good at reducing the effects of wildfire are Yucca species and low growing ground covers. For information regarding erosion control, contact a Geologist or other qualified professional. For questions regarding the list, contact OCFA at 714-573-6100. Before you purchase plants on this list you should verify with the nursery or plant provider that the specific species is suitable for your area and soil condition. Orange County Fire Authority Page 2 of 13 Guideline C-06 Acceptable Plants Species for Homes Subject to Wildfires January 1, 2011 OCFA Plant Palette Information BOTANICAL NAME COMMON NAME PLANT FORM Acer macrophyllum Big Leaf Maple Tree Alnus cordata Italian Alder Tree Alnus rhombifolia White Alder Tree Arbutus unedo Strawberry Tree Tree Beaucarnea recurvata Bottle Palm Shrub/Small Tree Ceratonia siliqua Carob Tree Citrus species Citrus Tree Eriobotrya japonica Loquat Tree Erythrina species Coral Tree Tree Ginkgo biloba Maidenhair Tree Tree Juglans californica California Black Walnut Tree Lagerstroemia indica Crape Myrtle Tree Lagunaria patersonii Primrose Tree Tree Liquidambar styraciflua American Sweet Gum Tree Liriodendron tulipfera Tulip Tree Tree Lyonothamnus floribundus ssp. Fernleaf Ironwood Tree Asplenifolius Macadamia integrifolia Macadamia Nut Tree Maytenus boaria Mayten Tree Tree Metrosideros excelsus New Zealand Christmas Tree Tree Parkinsonia aculeata Mexican Palo Verde Tree Pistacia chinesis Chinese Pistache Tree Pittosporum undulatum Victorian Box Tree Orange County Fire Authority Page 3 of 13 Guideline C-06 Acceptable Plants Species for Homes Subject to Wildfires January 1, 2011 Plantanus racemosa California Sycamore Tree Popolus fremontii Western Cottonwood Tree Quercus agrifolia Coast Live Oak Tree Quercus engelmannii Engelmann Oak Tree Quercus suber Cork Oak Tree Rhus lancea African Sumac Tree Sambucus mexicana Mexican Elderberry Tree Stenicarpus sinuatus Firewheel Tree Tree Umbellularia californica California Laurel Tree Abelia x grandiflora Glossy Abelia Shrub Acacia redolens desert carpet Desert Carpet Shrub Achillea millefolium Common Yarrow Low Shrub Achillea tomentosa Woolly Yarrow Low Shrub Aloe arborescens Tree Aloe Shrub Alogyne huegeii Blue Hibiscus Shrub Amorpha fruticosa Western False Indigobush Shrub Arctostaphylos glandulosa ssp. Eastwood Manzanita Shrub Arctostaphylos hookeri ‘Monterey Monterey Carpet Manzanita Low Shrub Carpet’ Arctostaphylos pungens no common name Shrub Arctostaphylos refugioensis Refugio Manzanita Shrub Arctostaphylos x ‘Greensphere’ Greensphere Manzanita Shrub Atriplex canescens Four-Wing Saltbush Shrub Atriplex lentiformis ssp. breweri Brewer Saltbush Shrub Baccharis emoyi Emory Baccharis Shrub Baccharis salicifolia Mulefat Shrub Orange County Fire Authority Page 4 of 13 Guideline C-06 Acceptable Plants Species for Homes Subject to Wildfires January 1, 2011 Bacharis pilularis ssp. Consanguinea Chaparral Bloom Shrub Bougainvillea spectabilis Bougainvillea Shrub Ceanothus gloriosus ‘Point Reyes’ Point Reyes Ceanothus Shrub Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis Carmel Creeper Ceanothus Shrub Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis Shrub Shrub ‘Yankee Point’ Yankee Point Ceanothus Ceanothus griseus ‘Louis Edmunds’ Louis Edmunds Ceanothus Shrub Ceanothus megarcarpus Big Pod Ceanothus Shrub Ceanothus prostratus Squaw Carpet Ceanothus Shrub Ceanothus spinosus Green Bark Ceanothus Shrub Ceanothus verrucosus Wart-Stem Ceanothus Shrub Cercis occidentalis Western Redbud Shrub/Tree Cistus hybridus White Rockrose Shrub Cistus incanus no common name Shrub (Pink Rockrose) Cistus incanus ssp. Corsicus no common name Shrub (Hairy Rockrose) Cistus salviifolius Sageleaf Rockrose Shrub Cistus x purpureus Orchid Rockrose Shrub Cneoridium dumosum Bushrue Shrub (Bush Rue) Comarostaphylis diversifolia Summer Holly Shrub Convolvulus cneorum Bush Morning Glory Shrub Cotoneaster aprneyi no common name Shrub Cotoneaster buxifolius no common name Shrub Dendromecon rigida Bush Poppy Shrub Dodonaea viscosa Hopseed Bush Shrub Orange County Fire Authority Page 5 of 13 Guideline C-06 Acceptable Plants Species for Homes Subject to Wildfires January 1, 2011 Elaeagnus pungens Silverberry Shrub Encelia californica California Encelia Small Shrub Eriodictycon crassifolium Thick Leaf Yerba Santa Shrub Eriodictycon trichocalyx Yerba Santa Shrub Eriophyllum confertiflorum no common name Shrub Escallonia species Several varieties Shrub Feijoa sellowiana Pineapple Guava Shrub/Tree Fremontondendron californicum California Flannelbush Shrub Galvezia speciosa Bush Snapdragon Shrub Garrya ellipta Silktassel Shrub Grewia occidentalis Starflower Shrub Hakea suaveolens Sweet Hakea Shrub Heteromeles arbutifolia Toyon Shrub Hypericum calycimum Aaron’s Beard Shrub Isocoma menziesii Coastal Goldenbush Small Shrub Isomeris arborea Bladderpod Shrub Keckiella antirrhinoides Yellow Bush Penstemon Subshrub Keckiella cordifolia Heart Leaved Penstemon Subshrub (Vining Shrub) Keckiella ternata Blue Stemmed Bush Subshrub Penstemon Lantana camara cultivars Yellow Sage Shrub Lantana montevidensis Trailing Lantana Shrub Lavandula dentata French Lavender Shrub Leptospermum laevigatum Australian Tea Tree Shrub Leucophyllum frutescens Texas Ranger Shrub Ligustrum japonicum Texas privet Shrub Orange County Fire Authority Page 6 of 13 Guideline C-06 Acceptable Plants Species for Homes Subject to Wildfires January 1, 2011 Lonicera subspicata Wild Honeysuckle Vining Shrub Lotus scoparius Deerweed Shrub Mahonia aquifolium ‘Golden Golden Abundance Oregon Shrub Abundance’ Grape Mahonia nevenii Nevin Mahonia Shrub Malacothamnus Fasciculatus Chapparal Mallow Shrub (Malacothamnus fasciculatus) Melaleuca nesophila Pink Melaleuca Shrub Myoporum debile no common name Shrub Myoporum insulare Boobyalla Shrub Nerium Oleander Oleander Shrub (Nerium oleander) Nolina cismontana Chapparal Nolina Shrub Nolina species Mexican Grasstree Shrub Osmanthus fragrans Sweet Olive Shrub Photinia fraseria no common name Shrub Plumbago auritulata Plumbago Cape Shrub Prunus caroliniana Carolina Cherry Laurel Shrub/Tree Prunus ilicifolia ssp. Ilicifolia Holly Leafed Cherry Shrub Prunus lyonii Catalina Cherry Shrub/Tree Punica granatum Pomegranate Shrub/Tree Pyracantha species Firethorn Shrub Quercus berberdifolia California Scrub Oak Shrub Quercus dumosa Coastal Scrub Oak Shrub Rhamnus alaternus Italian Buckthorn Shrub Rhamnus californica California Coffee Berry Shrub Rhamnus crocea Redberry Shrub Orange County Fire Authority Page 7 of 13 Guideline C-06 Acceptable Plants Species for Homes Subject to Wildfires January 1, 2011 Rhamnus crocea ssp. Ilicifolia Hollyleaf Redberry Shrub Rhaphiolepis species Indian Hawthorne Shrub Rhus integrifolia Lemonade Berry Shrub Rhus ovata Sugarbush Shrub Ribes aureum Golden Currant Shrub Ribes indecorum White Flowering Currant Shrub Ribes speciosum Fuschia Flowering Shrub Goosebberry Ribes viburnifolium Evergreen currant Shrub Romneya coulteri Matilija Poppy Shrub Romneya coulteri ‘White Cloud’ White Cloud Matilija Poppy Shrub Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary Shrub Salvia greggii Autums Sage Shrub Santolina virens Green Lavender Cotton Shrub Solanum douglasii Douglas Nightshade Shrub Symphoricarpos mollis Creeping Snowberry Shrub Tecoma stans (Stenolobium stans) Yellow Bells Shrub/Small Tree Trachelospermum jasminoides Star Jasmine Shrub Trichosstems