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Fire-resistant plants

An evidence directory, not another list: 3801 plants, each carrying every published fire-resistance verdict on record here, cited to its original source. FireApproved does not rate plants; it aggregates who does, and computes each plant's class from that evidence by a published rule. Records carry their own review status — the citations are checkable either way. No plant is fireproof. Zone 0 (the first five feet) is hardscape, whatever the species. The evidence export (snapshot v2026.08.25, CC BY 4.0) is https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22099746. Source documents in that export are dated 1968 through 2026-08-25, from 112 sources in the United States, Europe, the Mediterranean, Australia, New Zealand, South America, and other named regions. Live plant pages stay canonical.

Copies: DOI · Hugging Face · Kaggle · Wikidata · pin v2026.08.25 · how to cite

Where will these plants live? A ZIP fills your state and USDA zone — every list on this page then answers "here."
State landings: CaliforniaColoradoOregonPennsylvania All places → Zones: 34567891011 Change ZIP

The directory at a glance

Every status is derived by the published rule — the chips say how deep its evidence runs.
Fire-resistant 1,382 Consensus 403 Majority 29 Limited evidence 950 Open in explorer →
Keep away 366 Consensus 58 Majority 20 Limited evidence 288 Open in explorer →
Conflicts 82 Sources genuinely disagree — honest ties, never averaged. Treat conflicted plants conservatively near structures. All 82, with who disagrees ↓
Awaiting evidence 1971 Mid-scale 420 Compilation-only 1551 No directional primary verdict yet — not listed, not condemned. Open in explorer →

Browse by plant group

550 genus hubs. Evidence stays species-level — each hub shows the split, never one flattened verdict. All 550 groups →

Prefer species? The explorer lists all 3801 — search, filter by status, growth form, region, and your USDA zone, and sort by evidence.

More ways in

By growth form Fire-resistant counts per form. Shrubs 459Perennials 385Trees 342Groundcovers 88Grasses 57Vines 40Succulents 11
Alternatives
The HOA said no — every keep-away and conflict page carries what to plant instead, matched by form and place. The sources
The registry behind every verdict — 131 sources, 66 primary (labs, field programs, original curations), each with its full list and lineage. Compilations corroborate; they never vote.

Recently changed

Full changelog →

What "fire-resistant" means here — and what it does not

A plant is labeled fire-resistant when the balance of independent primary evidence recommends it — labs, field programs, and original curations carry the vote; compilations corroborate but never vote; a rater's republications count once. A single primary lineage is enough to classify, and the page says so plainly ("limited evidence"). Dissent is shown in full; even splits are published as conflicts, never averaged away. This is not a FireApproved approval: we publish the evidence; conditions and placement govern, and no plant is fireproof. Common mix-ups: treating Zone 0 as a planting palette; treating one source's rating as settled fact; treating rosemary as firewise because it is drought-tolerant — its record is a documented conflict.

The registry currently tracks 131 sources (66 primary). The published rule · Example JSON · Data CC BY 4.0 · Embed the table for a Firewise committee · Zone 0 landscaping · Zone bands

Documented conflicts (82)

Primary-evidence sources genuinely disagree about these plants. Each page shows exactly which source says what; treat conflicted plants conservatively near structures.

PlantWho disagrees
Alaska cedar Xanthocyparis nootkatensis Michigan's E2948 list says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
antelope bitterbrush Purshia tridentata Firewise Plants for Utah Landscapes says low · Ashland's prohibited-plants ordinance says high
arborvitae Thuja occidentalis Michigan's E2948 list says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
Atlas cedar Cedrus atlantica the INRA Avignon fire laboratory says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
bald cypress Taxodium distichum North Carolina's Bardon 2005 list says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
begonias Begonia spp. Ohio's OSU Bulletin 921 says low · Guía de pirojardinería says high
bottlebrush Callistemon sp. Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · Protecting your home from wildfire says high
cabbage palmetto Sabal palmetto Guía de pirojardinería says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
Cape jasmine Gardenia jasminoides the NIST whole-plant shrub burns says low · Virginia Firescapes says high
Caryopteris x clandonensis Caryopteris x clandonensis the PNW-590 regional list says low · the Idaho Firewise field scores says high
cedar Cedrus spp. Michigan's E2948 list says low · Ashland's prohibited-plants ordinance says high
Chinese abelia Abelia grandiflora Guía de pirojardinería says low · Ohio's OSU Bulletin 921 says high
Chinese windmill palm Trachycarpus fortunei Guía de pirojardinería says low · Tree fire-protection classification in Hito to Shinrin says high
Climbing Hydrangea Hydrangea anomala petiolaris Virginia Firescapes says low · Ohio's OSU Bulletin 921 says high
common pear Pyrus communis the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · New Zealand's FENZ laboratory directory says high
corkscrew willow Salix matsudana 'Tortuosa' the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · Guía de pirojardinería says high
crimson bottlebrush Callistemon citrinus Guía de pirojardinería says low · the Tasmania Fire Service list says high
dog rose Rosa canina Guía de pirojardinería says low · The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen says high
Downy oak Quercus pubescens Guía de pirojardinería says low · the INRA Avignon fire laboratory says high
English oak Quercus robur the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · New Zealand's FENZ laboratory directory says high
English yew Taxus baccata Guía de pirojardinería says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
European chestnut Castanea sativa Guía de pirojardinería says low · the INRA Avignon fire laboratory says high
European cranberrybush Viburnum opulus the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · the Tasmania Fire Service list says high
European privet Ligustrum vulgare Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · The ignition index based on flammability of vegetation improves planning in the WUI says high
European white birch Betula pendula the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · Ordering and sorting of fire resistance of tree leaves says high
evergreen clematis Clematis vitalba Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · Guía de pirojardinería says high
Florida hopbush Dodonaea viscosa New Zealand's FENZ laboratory directory says low · the Tasmania Fire Service list says high
flowering ash Fraxinus ornus 'Rotundifolia' the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · The ignition index based on flammability of vegetation improves planning in the WUI says high
French lavender Lavandula dentata Protecting your home from wildfire says low · The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen says high
Gall Oak Tree Quercus faginea Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen says high
geranium Pelargonium sp. Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · Guía de pirojardinería says high
grape Vitis spp. the Idaho Firewise field scores says low · North Carolina's AG-874 revision says high
great laurel Rhododendron maximum the NIST whole-plant shrub burns says low · Ohio's OSU Bulletin 921 says high
Guelder Rose Viburnum sp. Landscaping in Florida with Fire in Mind says low · Protecting your home from wildfire says high
heather Calluna sp. Fire-resistant Landscape Plants for the Willamette Valley says low · Selective Shrub Management to Preserve Mediterranean Forests and Reduce the Risk of Fire says high
hinoki false cypress Chamaecyparis obtusa Michigan's E2948 list says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
holly oak Quercus ilex Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · the INRA Avignon fire laboratory says high
holly osmanthus Osmanthus heterophyllus Guía de pirojardinería says low · Virginia Firescapes says high
hollyleaved barberry Mahonia aquifolium the PNW-590 regional list says low · Ohio's OSU Bulletin 921 says high
hybrid hickory Carya spp. the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · the Idaho Firewise field scores says high
Hybrid yew Taxus xmedia Michigan's E2948 list says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
Ilex x meserveae hybrids Ilex x meserveae hybrids Michigan's E2948 list says low · Ohio's OSU Bulletin 921 says high
Italian buckthorn Rhamnus alaternus Landscape for Fire Protection says low · The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen says high
Japanese flowering cherry Prunus serrulata 'Kwanzan' the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · New Zealand's FENZ laboratory directory says high
Japanese pieris Pieris japonica Michigan's E2948 list says low · Protecting your home from wildfire says high
Japanese yew Taxus cuspidata Michigan's E2948 list says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
laurustinus Viburnum tinus Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · Sensibilité des haies face aux incendies de forêt sous climat méditerranéen says high
leather flower Clematis xjackmanii Virginia Firescapes says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
lemon Citrus limon New Zealand's FENZ laboratory directory says low · the Tasmania Fire Service list says high
lilly-pilly Acmena smithii APS Victoria's field observations says low · the Tasmania Fire Service list says high
lily of the Nile Agapanthus africana Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · Guía de pirojardinería says high
Minorca honeysuckle Lonicera implexa Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen says high
Northern bayberry Myrica pensylvanica the NIST whole-plant shrub burns says low · Combustion characteristics of north-eastern USA vegetation tested in the cone calorimeter says high
oleander Nerium oleander the NIST whole-plant shrub burns says low · The ignition index based on flammability of vegetation improves planning in the WUI says high
orange wattle Acacia saligna APS Victoria's field observations says low · The fire risk of the plant groupings with Cistus in the area of Tlemcen says high
pecan Carya illinoensis the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · Guía de pirojardinería says high
Portugal laurel Prunus lusitanica Guía de pirojardinería says low · Protecting your home from wildfire says high
purple passionflower Passiflora incarnata Virginia Firescapes says low · North Carolina's Bardon 2005 list says high
Redroot Ceanothus sp. Firewise Plants for the Puget Sound Basin says low · Ashland's prohibited-plants ordinance says high
Rhododendron obtusum Rhododendron obtusum Michigan's E2948 list says low · Virginia Firescapes says high
Rosemary Salvia rosmarinus New Zealand's FENZ laboratory directory says low · Firewise: Fire Resistant Plants says high
roundleaf greenbrier Smilax rotundifolia Virginia Firescapes says low · Combustion characteristics of north-eastern USA vegetation tested in the cone calorimeter says high
Russian sage Salvia yangii the PNW-590 regional list says low · Ohio's OSU Bulletin 921 says high
sawara-cypress Chamaecyparis pisifera Michigan's E2948 list says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
scarlet firethorn Pyracantha coccinea the NIST whole-plant shrub burns says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
Scotch broom Cytisus scoparius Virginia Firescapes says low · Combustion characteristics of north-eastern USA vegetation tested in the cone calorimeter says high
Siberian dogwood Cornus alba Michigan's E2948 list says low · Ordering and sorting of fire resistance of tree leaves says high
southern catalpa Catalpa bignonioides the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · Guía de pirojardinería says high
spotted gum Corymbia maculata APS Victoria's field observations says low · the Tasmania Fire Service list says high
squirreltail Elymus elymoides Fuel Breaks to Reduce Large Wildfire Impacts in Sagebrush Ecosystems says low · the Idaho Firewise field scores says high
St. John's bread Ceratonia siliqua Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · The ignition index based on flammability of vegetation improves planning in the WUI says high
strawberry tree Arbutus unedo Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · The ignition index based on flammability of vegetation improves planning in the WUI says high
tea Camellia sp. the Tasmania Fire Service list says low · Protecting your home from wildfire says high
thorny olive Elaeagnus pungens Valencia's low-flammability guide says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
topel holly Ilex x attenuata hybrids the NIST whole-plant shrub burns says low · Ohio's OSU Bulletin 921 says high
Umbrella-pine Sciadopitys verticillata Tree fire-protection classification in Hito to Shinrin says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
Virginia rose Rosa virginiana Ohio's OSU Bulletin 921 says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
wayfaringtree Viburnum lantana Michigan's E2948 list says low · Guía de pirojardinería says high
Weeping willow Salix babylonica the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · Guía de pirojardinería says high
western redcedar Thuja plicata Michigan's E2948 list says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
wintergreen barberry Berberis julianae the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says low · Virginia Firescapes says high
wisterias Wisteria spp. Guía de pirojardinería says low · the Eastern US Fire Performance Plant Selector says high
FireApproved.com (2026). Plant flammability evidence directory [Data set]. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22099746. Live pages at https://fireapproved.com/plants/. CC BY 4.0.