Fire safe plants

After the Black Saturday fires, what to plant in the garden became quite an important topic. So, following on from last week about cleaning up around your home, if you are in a fire prone area, consider planting fire safe plants.

Naturally, some plants are less or more flammable than others.

Unfortunately Aussie natives are often highly flammable, because this is part of their lifecycle, which explains how fires spread so easily through our bushland.


Some highly flammable plants to avoid close to your home are:
Acacia sp. (Silver Wattle)

Japanese maples are highly flammable

Acer palmatum (Japanese Maple)
Acmena smithii (Lilly Pilly)
Bambusa vulgaris (Bamboo)
Betula pendula (Silver Birch)
Cupressus funebris (Mourning Cypress)
Eucalyptus sp.
Grevillea sp.
Leptospermum sp. (Teatree)
Melaleuca alternifolia (Paperbark)
Monstera deliciosa (Monstera)
Pinus sp.
Pittosporum undulatum (Sweet Pittosporum)
Quercus robur (English oak)
Spiraea catoniensis (May)
Viburnum opulus (Guelder Rose)
These ignite easily and can spread a fire rapidly.


Some plants that are less flammable and better suited to gardens close to homes include:  Artemisia sp. (Wormwood)
Camellia sp.
Datura suaveolens (Angels Trumpet)

Diplarrena moraea (White Flag Iris)

Hebe's are low fire risk plants

Gazania hybrida (Treasure Flower)

Hebe speciosa (Veronica)

Hemerocallis aurantiaca (Day Lilly)

Hydrangea macrophylla (Hydrangea)

Hymenocallis littoralis (Spider Lily)

Hymenosporum flavum (Native Frangipanni)
Lampranthus aurantiacus (Pigface)
Lavendula angustifolia (English Lavender)
Passiflora herbertiana (Native Passionfruit)
Pelargonium peltatum (Geranium)
Pomaderris apetala (Dogwood)
Prunus sp. (Plum)
Syzigium australe (Lilly pilly)


While all plants will burn, it is wise to plant less flammable plants close to your home. Especially in fire prone areas. We should be able to enjoy living among the trees, but we must also do all we can to minimise the risk of a fire starting and spreading in our garden. 

Be Bush Fire Ready - Clean your roof!

I was dropping my children off at school the other day when I noticed piles of sticks, twigs and dry leaves had gathered on many of the rooftops and gutters along the route I take through a leafy residential suburb.

Dry leaves and twigs on a roof.



The wild winter we have endured along with the recent spate of roaring winds has caused an unusual amount of debris to gather on roofs which may otherwise be clear.

When we think of bushfires we often think of them being in rural areas, but they could just as easily rip through a leafy residential suburb.

It is time to make your house fire ready and check your roof, gutters and garden for fire fuel sources.

Piles of dried foliage and garden clippings can be a haven for fires, so either compost, shred and mulch or discard plant waste.

Clean gutters and make sure your watering system works.

An afternoon spent cleaning up around your home could save a lifetime of memories, or even your life!


If in doubt, speak to your local CFA to make sure you are bushfire ready.