FireApproved

United States / Grow / common gorse

common gorse (Ulex europaeus)
Photo: (c) Murray Dawson, some rights reserved (CC BY) (CC BY), via iNaturalist. Species-typical, not necessarily this cultivar.

common gorse

Ulex europaeus · Fabaceae · all Ulex records · also called Gorse · Wikipedia

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Fire-resistant shrubs instead

Form
shrub
Rated in
Global; Marin County, California; New Zealand; Tasmania, Australia
On this lot

1. Fire evidence and conditions

Fire evidence
Highly flammable — location does not change the cited classification.
Placement evidence
1 source placement record; source schemes remain separate.
Evidence regions
Global; Marin County, California; New Zealand; Tasmania, Australia
Typed publication scope: 1 scope across 1 cited fire source
  • Fire-Resistant Plants Common to Marin County · Official scoped edition
    • Marin County (CA footprint); partial normalized coverage · 2019-01-01

      The publication is explicitly limited to plants common to Marin County. FireApproved publishes 104 exact owners as Marin regional context while retaining its placement, spacing, irrigation, and maintenance boundary. It is not statewide California guidance or parcel suitability.

2. Why this plant is relevant here

State distribution
Documented in CA, HI, MA, NY, OR, PA, VA, WA, WV.
Introduced / established
3 sourced range or established records. This is not an invasive warning.

3. Legal, ecological, and broader status

Seed-list status
2 state noxious-weed seed records; the Place chip matches exact scope.
Reported invasive here
2 ecological invasive reports.
How to read this page

The status above is computed from the cited rows below: independent recommendations can support a fire-resistant result, an avoid row can produce keep-away, and disagreement stays visible as conflict. Placement notes preserve each source’s own scheme rather than translating unlike rules into one scale. This is evidence about a plant, not permission to plant it in every part of the defensible space; Zone 0 remains noncombustible.

Native and introduced range evidence

These are exact U.S. botanical-area records from the cited range source. Native and introduced describe biogeographic relationship, not fire performance or planting approval. Doubtful and extinct rows stay visible but do not count as current presence.

Current native

0

exact source areas

Current introduced

3

exact source areas

Qualified

0

doubtful or extinct source rows

3 introduced source areas · World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16 v16, as of 2026-06-04
  • California (CA)
  • Hawaii (HI)
  • Oregon (OR)

The lossless worldwide derivative is retained once in the research corpus; object pages repeat only exact U.S. areas needed by the local lens. The JSON twin carries the same page assertions.

Where its sources say to plant it

Placement rules below use each source's own distances or named zones, tied to its rating. They are not interchangeable with the directory's current Zone 0 guidance.

The evidence

Grouped by what each source concluded. Primary evidence rated the plant itself (a lab, field program, or original curation); corroboration compiled or republished another source's rating and resolves to its root lineage.

Avoids (4)

Corroboration (1 rows from 1 source)
Listed without a rating (140)
Corroboration (140 rows from 1 source)

  • FLAMITS: FLAMmability plant traiTS database — Dryad / Global Ecology and Biogeography · Dryad version 9 · original source Corroboration Trait database lineage: meta-aggregator

    140 cited rows from this source; its identity, lineage and tier are stated once.

    • Primary study Anon1995: Añón, J.R., López, F.F., Castiñeiras, J.P., Ledo, J.P. & Regueira, L.N. (1995). Calorific values and flammability for forest wastes during the seasons of the year. Bioresource technology, 52, 269-274.

      Shared row context: plant part litter; fuel all; predrying no; device calorimeter; site Anon1995-1.

      • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4823.7”

        FLAMITS record 343; Combustibility measurement; sampling spring.

      • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4942.81”

        FLAMITS record 344; Combustibility measurement; sampling summer.

      • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5007.26”

        FLAMITS record 345; Combustibility measurement; sampling autumn.

      • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4893.06”

        FLAMITS record 346; Combustibility measurement; sampling winter.

      • “flammability value: 1”

        FLAMITS record 359; Ignitability measurement; sampling spring.

      • “flammability value: 2”

        FLAMITS record 360; Ignitability measurement; sampling summer.

      • “flammability value: 2”

        FLAMITS record 361; Ignitability measurement; sampling autumn.

      • “flammability value: 1”

        FLAMITS record 362; Ignitability measurement; sampling winter.

    • Primary study Cui2020a: Cui, X., Paterson, A. M., Wyse, S. V., Alam, M. A., Maurin, K. J. L., Pieper, R., ... Curran, T. J. (2020a). Shoot flammability of vascular plants is phylogenetically conserved and related to habitat fire-proneness and growth form. Nature Plants, 6, 355-359.

      Shared row context: plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Cui2020a-1; sampling ND.

      • “ignition frequency (%): 100”

        FLAMITS record 1509; Ignitability measurement.

      • “maximum sample temperature (°C): 704.8”

        FLAMITS record 1703; Combustibility measurement.

      • “burning duration (s): 65.1”

        FLAMITS record 1897; Sustainability measurement.

      • “estimated burnt biomass (%): 83.8”

        FLAMITS record 2091; Consumability measurement.

    • Primary study Guijarro2002: Guijarro, M., Hernando, C., Díez, C., Martínez, E., Madrigal, J., Lampin-Cabaret, C., ... Vega, J. (2002). Flammability of some fuel beds common in the South-European ecosystems. IV International Conference Forest Fire Research. Coimbra, Portugal.

      Shared row context: plant part litter; fuel all; predrying no; device burning bench; site Guijarro2002-1; sampling ND.

      • Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement.

        • “time to flaming (s): 5.19”

          FLAMITS record 4653.

        • “ignition frequency (%): 50”

          FLAMITS record 4676.

        • “time to flaming (s): 5.19”

          FLAMITS record 4684.

      • “flame height (cm): 93”

        FLAMITS record 4658; Combustibility measurement.

      • Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement.

        • “rate of burning spread (cm/s): 0.29”

          FLAMITS record 4666.

        • “rate of burning spread (cm/s): 0.29”

          FLAMITS record 4692.

      • “burnt biomass (%): 91”

        FLAMITS record 4668; Consumability measurement.

    • Primary study Madrigal2011a: Madrigal, J., Guijarro, M., Hernando, C., Díez, C., & Marino, E. (2011a). Effective Heat of Combustion for Flaming Combustion of Mediterranean Forest Fuels. Fire Technology, 47, 461-474.

      Shared row context: predrying no; device calorimeter; site Madrigal2011a-1; sampling ND.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel dead.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 260”

          FLAMITS record 7293.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 512”

          FLAMITS record 7294.

        • “total heat release (MJ/m²): 16.89”

          FLAMITS record 7299.

        • “total heat release (MJ/m²): 27.39”

          FLAMITS record 7300.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.06”

          FLAMITS record 7317.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.07”

          FLAMITS record 7318.

      • Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel dead.

        • “time to flaming (s): 4”

          FLAMITS record 7305.

        • “time to flaming (s): 8”

          FLAMITS record 7306.

      • “flaming duration (s): 54”

        FLAMITS record 7311; Sustainability measurement; plant part litter; fuel dead.

      • “flaming duration (s): 98”

        FLAMITS record 7312; Sustainability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel dead.

      • “flaming duration (s): 94”

        FLAMITS record 7334; Sustainability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 507”

          FLAMITS record 7354.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.06”

          FLAMITS record 7394.

        • “total heat release (MJ/m²): 25.98”

          FLAMITS record 7414.

      • “time to flaming (s): 11”

        FLAMITS record 7374; Ignitability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel live.

    • Primary study Madrigal2012: Madrigal, J., Marino, E., Guijarro, M., Hernando, C., & Díez, C. (2012). Evaluation of the flammability of gorse (Ulex europaeus L.) managed by prescribed burning. Annals of Forest Science, 69, 387-397.

      Shared row context: predrying no; site Madrigal2012-1; sampling june to october.

      • Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel all; device calorimeter.

        • “time to flaming (s): 22”

          FLAMITS record 7433.

        • “time to flaming (s): 37”

          FLAMITS record 7434.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel all; device calorimeter.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 263.5”

          FLAMITS record 7435.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 235”

          FLAMITS record 7491.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 176”

          FLAMITS record 7492.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 191”

          FLAMITS record 7493.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 145”

          FLAMITS record 7494.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 156”

          FLAMITS record 7495.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 132”

          FLAMITS record 7496.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel all; device calorimeter.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 249.3”

          FLAMITS record 7436.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.17”

          FLAMITS record 7439.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.14”

          FLAMITS record 7440.

        • “total heat release (MJ/m²): 9”

          FLAMITS record 7441.

        • “total heat release (MJ/m²): 8.7”

          FLAMITS record 7442.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2937.8”

          FLAMITS record 7443.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2722.84”

          FLAMITS record 7444.

      • Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel all; device calorimeter.

        • “flaming duration (s): 51”

          FLAMITS record 7437.

        • “flaming duration (s): 45.5”

          FLAMITS record 7438.

      • Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel all; device calorimeter.

        • “burnt biomass (%): 87.8”

          FLAMITS record 7445.

        • “burnt biomass (%): 92.5”

          FLAMITS record 7446.

      • “time to flaming (s): 17”

        FLAMITS record 7447; Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel dead; device calorimeter.

      • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 331.6”

        FLAMITS record 7448; Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel dead; device calorimeter.

      • “flaming duration (s): 49.5”

        FLAMITS record 7449; Sustainability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel dead; device calorimeter.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part twigs; fuel dead; device calorimeter.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.14”

          FLAMITS record 7450.

        • “total heat release (MJ/m²): 11.5”

          FLAMITS record 7451.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2937.8”

          FLAMITS record 7452.

      • “burnt biomass (%): 91”

        FLAMITS record 7453; Consumability measurement; plant part twigs; fuel dead; device calorimeter.

      • Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; device calorimeter.

        • “time to flaming (s): 58”

          FLAMITS record 7454.

        • “time to flaming (s): 51”

          FLAMITS record 7455.

        • “time to flaming (s): 58”

          FLAMITS record 7456.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; device calorimeter.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 190.5”

          FLAMITS record 7457.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 198.1”

          FLAMITS record 7458.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 217.7”

          FLAMITS record 7459.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.16”

          FLAMITS record 7463.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.13”

          FLAMITS record 7464.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.14”

          FLAMITS record 7465.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.1”

          FLAMITS record 7466.

        • “total heat release (MJ/m²): 6.2”

          FLAMITS record 7467.

        • “total heat release (MJ/m²): 6.1”

          FLAMITS record 7468.

        • “total heat release (MJ/m²): 7.5”

          FLAMITS record 7469.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3415.49”

          FLAMITS record 7470.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2436.22”

          FLAMITS record 7471.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 3128.88”

          FLAMITS record 7472.

      • Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; device calorimeter.

        • “flaming duration (s): 42.5”

          FLAMITS record 7460.

        • “flaming duration (s): 42.5”

          FLAMITS record 7461.

        • “flaming duration (s): 58”

          FLAMITS record 7462.

      • Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; plant part leaves; fuel live; device calorimeter.

        • “burnt biomass (%): 90.8”

          FLAMITS record 7473.

        • “burnt biomass (%): 95.8”

          FLAMITS record 7474.

        • “burnt biomass (%): 90.3”

          FLAMITS record 7475.

      • Shared measurement context: Ignitability measurement; plant part whole plant; fuel live; device outdoor wind tunnel.

        • “time to flaming (s): 128”

          FLAMITS record 7476.

        • “time to flaming (s): 7”

          FLAMITS record 7477.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; plant part whole plant; fuel live; device outdoor wind tunnel.

        • “flame height (cm): 10”

          FLAMITS record 7478.

        • “flame height (cm): 400”

          FLAMITS record 7479.

        • “temperature increase rate (°C/s): 1.1”

          FLAMITS record 7480.

        • “temperature increase rate (°C/s): 27”

          FLAMITS record 7481.

        • “maximum flame temperature (°C): 47”

          FLAMITS record 7482.

        • “maximum flame temperature (°C): 953”

          FLAMITS record 7483.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 96”

          FLAMITS record 7486.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 1067.64”

          FLAMITS record 7487.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 21.53”

          FLAMITS record 7490.

      • Shared measurement context: Sustainability measurement; plant part whole plant; fuel live; device outdoor wind tunnel.

        • “flaming duration (s): 17”

          FLAMITS record 7484.

        • “flaming duration (s): 235”

          FLAMITS record 7485.

      • Shared measurement context: Consumability measurement; plant part whole plant; fuel live; device outdoor wind tunnel.

        • “burnt biomass (%): 0.5”

          FLAMITS record 7488.

        • “burnt biomass (%): 86.2”

          FLAMITS record 7489.

    • Primary study Nunez1996: Nunez-Regueira, L., Anon, J. A. R., & Castineiras, J. P. (1996). Calorific values and flammability of forest species in Galicia. Coastal and hillside zones. Bioresource Technology, 57, 283-289.

      Shared row context: plant part litter; fuel all; predrying no; site Nunez1996-1.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; device calorimeter; sampling spring.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4820.47”

          FLAMITS record 9822.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 5003.91”

          FLAMITS record 9826.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; device calorimeter; sampling summer.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 1367.28”

          FLAMITS record 9823.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 1648.35”

          FLAMITS record 9827.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; device calorimeter; sampling autumn.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4939.5”

          FLAMITS record 9824.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 4889.78”

          FLAMITS record 9828.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement; device calorimeter; sampling winter.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 1511.4”

          FLAMITS record 9825.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 1366.32”

          FLAMITS record 9829.

      • “flammability value: 1”

        FLAMITS record 9852; Ignitability measurement; device epiradiator; sampling spring.

      • “flammability value: 2”

        FLAMITS record 9861; Ignitability measurement; device epiradiator; sampling summer.

      • “flammability value: 2”

        FLAMITS record 9870; Ignitability measurement; device epiradiator; sampling autumn.

      • “flammability value: 1”

        FLAMITS record 9879; Ignitability measurement; device epiradiator; sampling winter.

    • Primary study Salvo2015: Salvo-Aires, F. (2015). Effects of woody weeds on fuels and fire behaviour in Eastern Australian forests and woodlands. PhD. Dissertation. University of Sydney.

      Shared row context: plant part leaves; fuel live; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Salvo2015-1; sampling ND.

      • “time to flaming (s): 56”

        FLAMITS record 11666; Ignitability measurement.

      • Shared measurement context: Combustibility measurement.

        • “maximum energy flux (kW/m²): 221”

          FLAMITS record 11703.

        • “mass loss rate (g/s): 0.26”

          FLAMITS record 11777.

        • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 2921.08”

          FLAMITS record 11851.

        • “energy flux (kW/m²): 168”

          FLAMITS record 11888.

      • “flaming duration (s): 20”

        FLAMITS record 11740; Sustainability measurement.

      • “burnt biomass (%): 97”

        FLAMITS record 11814; Consumability measurement.

    • Primary study Santana2014: Santana, V. M., & Marrs, R. H. (2014). Flammability properties of British heathland and moorland vegetation: Models for predicting fire ignition. Journal of Environmental Management, 139, 88-96.

      Shared row context: plant part litter; fuel dead; predrying yes; device calorimeter; site Santana2014-2; sampling summer and autumn.

      • “calorific value (kcal/kg): 50.9”

        FLAMITS record 11918; Combustibility measurement.

      • “ignition frequency (%): 80”

        FLAMITS record 11919; Ignitability measurement.

      • “frequency of sustained flaming (%): 55”

        FLAMITS record 11920; Sustainability measurement.

    • Primary study Wyse2016: Wyse, S. V., Perry, G. L. W., O'Connell, D. M., Holland, P. S., Wright, M. J., Hosted, C. L., ... Curran, T. J. (2016). A quantitative assessment of shoot flammability for 60 tree and shrub species supports rankings based on expert opinion. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 25, 466-477.

      Shared row context: plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Wyse2016-3; sampling ND.

      • “ignition frequency (%): 100”

        FLAMITS record 14377; Ignitability measurement.

      • “maximum sample temperature (°C): 704.8”

        FLAMITS record 14437; Combustibility measurement.

      • “burning duration (s): 65.1”

        FLAMITS record 14497; Sustainability measurement.

      • “estimated burnt biomass (%): 84.3”

        FLAMITS record 14557; Consumability measurement.

    • Primary study Sultana2022: Sultana, N. (2022). Traits underpinning the eco-physiological processes linking drought and flammability. PhD. Dissertation. Lincoln University.

      Shared row context: plant part branches; fuel all; predrying yes; device grill; site Sultana2022-1.

      • “time to flaming (s): 0.37”

        FLAMITS record 16125; Ignitability measurement; sampling autum 2019.

      • “time to flaming (s): 0.89”

        FLAMITS record 16126; Ignitability measurement; sampling winter 2019.

      • “time to flaming (s): 0.4”

        FLAMITS record 16127; Ignitability measurement; sampling spring 2019.

      • “time to flaming (s): 0.84”

        FLAMITS record 16128; Ignitability measurement; sampling summer 2019.

      • “maximum flame temperature (°C): 668.58”

        FLAMITS record 16165; Combustibility measurement; sampling autum 2019.

      • “maximum flame temperature (°C): 553.62”

        FLAMITS record 16166; Combustibility measurement; sampling winter 2019.

      • “maximum flame temperature (°C): 710.25”

        FLAMITS record 16167; Combustibility measurement; sampling spring 2019.

      • “maximum flame temperature (°C): 540.26”

        FLAMITS record 16168; Combustibility measurement; sampling summer 2019.

      • “estimated burnt biomass (%): 88.85”

        FLAMITS record 16205; Consumability measurement; sampling autum 2019.

      • “estimated burnt biomass (%): 60.03”

        FLAMITS record 16206; Consumability measurement; sampling winter 2019.

      • “estimated burnt biomass (%): 91.12”

        FLAMITS record 16207; Consumability measurement; sampling spring 2019.

      • “estimated burnt biomass (%): 76.42”

        FLAMITS record 16208; Consumability measurement; sampling summer 2019.

      • “burning duration (s): 43.84”

        FLAMITS record 16245; Sustainability measurement; sampling autum 2019.

      • “burning duration (s): 45.96”

        FLAMITS record 16246; Sustainability measurement; sampling winter 2019.

      • “burning duration (s): 47.15”

        FLAMITS record 16247; Sustainability measurement; sampling spring 2019.

      • “burning duration (s): 50.2”

        FLAMITS record 16248; Sustainability measurement; sampling summer 2019.

Fire-resistant shrubs instead

kinnikinnick
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi redosier dogwood
Cornus sericea common snowberry
Symphoricarpos albus beaked hazelnut
Corylus cornuta redosier dogwood
Cornus sericea ‘Kelseyi’ red elderberry
Sambucus pubens

Fire-resistant shrubs listed above

Same genus in the directory · the Ulex group page

Last verified 2026-08-23. JSON (CC BY 4.0)

Profiles: USDA PLANTS · GBIF · iNaturalist · Wikidata · Wikipedia · ITIS

Ulex europaeus (Gorse). FireApproved. https://fireapproved.com/plants/ulex-europaeus/. Last verified 2026-08-23.