Native plant strategies for a safer, healthier landscape

The vegetation you grow around your home can defend or endanger it. Selecting the right plants in fire-prone regions like Los Angeles County can slow the spread of wildfires, reduce fuel loads, and help native ecosystems rebound after the fire.

Scientific research shows that native, fire-resistant plants are critical to maintaining a defensible landscape—especially when combined with proper spacing, pruning, and fuel reduction (Quinn, 1994; CAL FIRE, 2024).

” Fire-resistant plants are less likely to ignite; if they do, they burn slowly and with low intensity. Look for plants that are:

• Moist and supple (not resinous or oily)
• Low in the dead material buildup 
• Have high water content.
• Low-growing and compact 
• Slow to regrow after pruning (less fuel) 

These traits make them ideal for Zone 1 (5–30 ft) and Zone 2 (30–100+ ft) around your home.

Native plants are adapted to California cycles, fire regimes, and soil types. They:
✅ Require less irrigation once established
✅ Are more resilient in dry and windy conditions
✅ Support native insects, birds, and pollinators
✅ Outcompete invasive fire-prone grasses like cheatgrass and red brome

“Native plants reduce the risk of invasive-fueled fire cycles by preserving soil cover and resisting rapid ignition.”— Brooks et al., 2004, BioScience

Here’s a curated list of fire-resilient natives perfect for LA County landscaping. Many of these will be available through Wildfire Resilient Native Plants Nursery (WRN):

• Purple Needlegrass (Stipa pulchra) – CalCalifornia’sate grass; slow-burning, deep roots
• Deergrass (Muhlenbergia rigens) – Clumping, low-flame height, excellent in fire breaks
• California Fescue (Festuca californica) – Shade-tolerant, low-growing
• Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha) – Short, bunchgrass with low flame potential 

• California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) – Drought-tolerant, excellent pollinator plan
• Creeping Sage (Salvia sonomensis) – Aromatic, spreads low to the ground. 
• Yerba Buena (Clinopodium douglasii) – Fragrant and fire-resistant groundcover 

• Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) – Fire-resilient, great for birds
• Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia) – Tough evergreen with thick leaves 
• Sugar Bush (Rhus ovata) – Low ignition potential, supports local fauna. 
• California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica) – Tolerates pruning, green year-round 

• Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia) – Native keystone tree; fire-resistant bark
• Western Sycamore (Platanus racemosa) – Fast-growing, deep roots, less flammable foliage 

Many common ornamental plants increase wildfire risk. Avoid planting:
🚫 Eucalyptus – High oil content, highly flammable
🚫 Italian Cypress – Tall and resinous; fire ladders
🚫 Junipers – Full of volatile oils and dead material
🚫 Pampas Grass, Fountain Grass – Invasive, fast to ignite, often banned

"Flammable exotic species have contributed to California’s feedback loop of recurring, severe wildfires."
— Brooks et al., 2004

Through WRN, you can purchase locally appropriate, fire-resistant native grass seeds and plants, supporting safety and habitat restoration.

• Brooks, M. L., et al. (2004). Effects of invasive alien plants on fire regimes. BioScience, 54(7), 677–688. 
• Quinn, R. D. (1994). Fire ecology of a native California grassland. Journal of Range Management, 47(5), 393–398. 
• CAL FIRE. (2024). Fire-Smart Landscaping. Retrieved from https://www.readyforwildfire.org 
• California Native Plant Society & Calscape. https://calscape.org