This can affect plants' ability to survive. However, there are a number of groundcovers, herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees that are fire-resistant. Plants that do well in Montana are on the back page. if it is dry enough and the fire is slow new tissue grown in the following prune out dead branches and be sure enough and/or hot enough. The spring can allow many damaged trees the remaining plants are watered ability of a plant to survive a fire to survive. Succulent plants and those well. There may be no reason to add depends upon the speed and type of full of water (for instance, in the huge quantities of fertilizer. fire, the time of year, the moisture- spring), survive fires better than trees holding capacity of the plant, and with low moisture contents. Shrubs the plant species. often survive by their ability to re- sprout from their base. is a list of plant species adapted to Montana that have been noted to be fire resistant. Not all species on this list will grow in all parts of the that travel from the crown of one reduces the soil's capacity to store state. Refer to "Choosing Trees and tree to another are often more water and fosters compaction. Fires Shrubs for Montana Landscapes" damaging than other types because can accelerate erosion and increase (Montana Extension Bulletin EB they destroy the foliage and thus the magnitude of changes in soil 123), "Choosing Herbaceous reduce the plants' capacity to temperatures. photosynthesize. This inability to Perennials and Biennials" manufacture carbohydrates weakens (MontGuide 9903) and "Growing the plant and makes it more Annual Flowers" (MontGuide 9501) susceptible to subsequent winter such as nitrogen and some others for more information on growing damage and pest infestations. Young are lost by volatilization, ash site conditions for selected species. trees are often more severely affected convection, and subsequent leaching We have also avoided categorizing by this type of fire than older trees. after hot fires. However, the nitrogen plants as "fast-growing" or "slow- is often replaced quickly by rain, growing" since this can be misleading. increased soil microbial activity, and There are too many variables that nitrogen fixation. Some nutrients can affect the rate of growth of a can do damage to the cambium (part are also released from burned organic plant. of the plant responsible for its matter, often making the total Some entries include an entire genus growth), often girdling or partially availability of mineral nutrients to (ash, for example) followed by some girdling the plant, which can lead to the plants higher after the fire than individual species. This is because the death of the plant. before. Site quality deteriorates more some references list only a genus on coarse sands and heavy soils than while others list particular species as on sandy and loamy soils. being resistant. Common Name Genus and Species Common Name Genus and Species Alfalfa Medicago sativus Mock Strawberry Duchesnea indica Bergenia Bergenia spp. Mountain Spray Holodiscus spp. Blanket Flower Gaillardia x grandiflora Myrtle, Dwarf Periwinkle Vinca minor Bluegrass, Kentucky Poa pratensis Orchardgrass Dactylis glomerata Buffalograss Buchloe dactyloides Penstemon, Rocky Mtn. Penstemon strictus Candytuft, Evergreen Iberis sempervirens Pinks Dianthus plumarius Carpet bugle Ajuga reptans Poppy Papaver spp. Cinquefoil, Spring Potentilla tabernaemontanii Poppy, California Eschscholzia californica Columbine Aquilegia spp. Potentilla Potentilla spp. Coral Bells Heuchera sanguinea Geranium sanguineum Primrose, Mexican Eve. Oenothera berlandieri Coreopsis Coreopsis spp. Primrose Oenothera spp. Cotoneaster Cotoneaster ssp. Pussytoes Antennaria spp. Cotoneaster, Rock Cotoneaster horizontalis Red Hot Poker Kniphofia uvaria Cotoneaster, Bearberry Cotoneaster dammerii Ryegrass Lolium spp. Daisy, Shasta Leucanthemum x superbum Sage Salvia spp. Daylily Hemerocallis spp. Sedum, Goldmoss Sedum acre Drosanthemum Drosanthemum speciosum Silver Spreader Artemisia caucasica Dusty Miller Artemisa stelleriana Snow-in-Summer Cerastium tomentosum Fescue Festuca spp. Stonecrop Sedum spathulifoluim Fescue, Blue Festuca cinerea Stonecrop, Green Sedum album Fescue, Tall Festuca arundinacea Strawberry, Wild Fragaria chiloensis Fescue, Creeping Red Festuca rubra Sunrose Helianthus mummularium Flax Linum spp. Thrift, Common Armeria maritima Fleabane Erigeron hybrids California Poppy Thyme, Wooly Thymus pseudolanuginosus Four O'clock Mirabilis spp. Thyme, Creeping Thymus praecox articus Geranium, Hardy Geranium cinereum Valerian, Red Centranthus ruber Geranium, Bloodred Geranium sanguineum Violet, Canadian Viola canandensis Geranium Geranium spp. Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Ginger, Wild Asarum caudatum Wheatgrasss, Western Agropyron cristatum Hen and Chicks Sempervivum tectorum Wheatgrass, Crested Agropyron cristatum Iris Iris spp. Winterfat Eurotia spp. Kinnickinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi Yarrow Achillea spp. Lambs Ear Stachys byzantina Yarrow, White Achillea millefolium white Lavender Lavandula spp. Yarrow, Fernleaf Achillea filipendulina Lupine Lupinus spp. Hen and Chicks Yarrow, Wooly Achillea tomentosa Mahonia, Creeping Mahonia repens Yucca Yucca filamentosa Common Name Genus and Species Common Name Genus and Species Alder, White Alnus rhombifolia Antelope Brush Fendlera rupicola Ash Fraxinus spp. Buckthorn Rhamnus spp. Ash, Green Fraxinus pennsylvanica Buffaloberry Shepherdia spp. Aspen, Quaking Populus tremuloides Buffaloberry, Russett Shepherdia canadensis Birch Betula spp. Buffaloberry, Silver Shepherdia angentea Cottonwood Populus spp. Cherry Prunus spp. Hackberry Celtis occidentalis Quaking Aspen Cherry, Sand Prunus besseyi Locust, Black Robinia pseudoacacia Cherry, Nanking Prunus tomentosa Maple Acer spp. Chokecherry Prunus virginiana Maple, Big-toothed Acer grandidentatum Cinquefoil, Shrubby Potentilla fruiticosa Maple, Boxelder Acer negundo Deerbrush (Buckbrush) Ceanothus spp. Maple, Rocky Mountain Acer glabrum Dogwood, Red-osier Cornus sericea (C. stolonifera) Olive, Russian Eleagnus angustifolia Gooseberries and Currants Ribes spp. Poplar Populus spp. Honeysuckle Lonicera spp. Narrowleaf Cottonwood Populus angustifolia Lilac, Common Syringa vulgaris Prunus Prunus spp. Mahogany, Mountain Cercocarpus spp. Mockorange Philadelphus spp. Plum, Native Prunus americana Pyracantha Pyracantha spp. Raspberry Rubus spp. Lilac Rose Rosaceae Saltbush Atriplex spp. Sumac, Skunkbush Rhus trilobata Reprinted and adapted with permission of Montana State University from a publication. Dr. R.E. Gough, Professor and Horticulture Extension Specialist and Jason Lamb, Senior Undergraduate Horticulture Major, Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology Montana State University, Bozeman. Green Ash Box Elder Buffaloberry.