FROM: http://portlandtribune.com/sl/270320-145442-plants-to-help-your-property-resist-wildfire-
As population grows in urban centers like
Portland and Eugene, more homes are being built in the "wildland urban
interface" areas of our state — areas near or among lands prone to
wildland fires. Oregon’s last two fire seasons have been severe, and this
year's fire season is following suit. With the continuing drought and hot
weather it’s a good time to take stock of your property and put a plan together
for fall landscaping ideas.
If you’re an avid gardener residing in the
urban interface, there are many fire-resistant plants available to help your
home become more fire-resistant, as well as help native birds and other
wildlife with shelter and food. Since most of these plants require less
frequent watering and are low-maintenance, even non-urban-interface residents
might like to consider adding some of them to yards and gardens.
“Fire-resistant" does not mean
"fireproof." It does mean that these plants have little dead wood and
don’t tend to accumulate dry materials that are flammable. The leaves of these
plants are usually moist and supple, with water-like sap.
What to avoid: plants that contain dry
needles, twigs and leaves, or have gummy, resinous sap or loose or papery bark.
One highly flammable shrub to avoid in your home landscape, for example, is
spreading or upright juniper. It accumulates dead needles and has volatile oils
in its foliage.
What are some good choices?
One species you might like to consider is
manzanita (Arctostaphylos), including a native that's also fire-resistant,
"kinnikinnick." Kinnikinnick is a charming ground cover that features
small white or pink flowers in the spring, followed by red berries. Once
established, it will spread and create year-round interest in the landscape
while requiring little maintenance.
Oregon boxwood (Paxistime myrsinites) is
another good choice. This attractive evergreen shrub features an alluring, tiny
red flower display and can survive our hot summers with little or no water. Be
sure to give Oregon boxwood enough water during the first one to two years to
establish it.
Look for oceanspray, with its graceful growth
habit and pendulous, creamy white flowers. Flowers have a faint, sweet sugary
scent and the plant requires little watering.
Red flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) and
Nootka rose are other good selections. Red flowering currant is an attractive
drought-tolerant woody perennial and an early springtime draw for hummingbirds.
Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) is an
upright, arching shrub featuring small pink flowers in the summer followed by
white, rounded fruits that persist through the winter and attract birds.
Snowberry does well in full sun or part shade. Like red flowering currant, it
grows quickly and is low-maintenance.
No stranger to landscapers, Pacific
rhododendron is ever-popular for its dark-green leaves and lovely pink and
white flower clusters. Prefers acidic soils and part shade, and is deer-resistant.
Plants such as purple coneflower (Echinacea
purpurea), giant or Eastern columbine, yarrow and lupine are not only
fire-resistant but will attract butterflies and pollinators to your yard or
landscape as well.
Tree choices
Looking for some good fire-resistant tree
choices? If your yard or garden has ample room for a new tree to grow to
maturity — both above, and below ground — try red alder or sweetgum. Consider a
dogwood for small, partly-shaded sites.
Willamette Valley Ponderosa Pine, an attractive
tree with long needles and lovely cones, develops thick bark when mature, which
protects it from surface fire and makes it more resistant than other tree
species, like Douglas fir. It’s moderately fire-resistant, is drought-resistant
and grows in full sun. It can reach more than 150 feet in height so plant where
it has ample room to grow.
Oregon White Oak: Besides the welcome shade
they provide during hot summer months, Oregon white oaks provide favorable
habitat for important wildlife types including nuthatches, pileated woodpeckers
and western grey squirrel. They should only be planted in wide open areas where
overhead wires or conflicts with homes or structures are unlikely. Provide full
sun, good drainage and plenty of room for these eventual "giants" of
the landscape.
A reminder: for the first three years
following planting, all newly planted trees require regular watering.
Lawns and bark mulch
In Oregon, bark mulch is popular in urban
landscapes. Unfortunately, embers from a wildfire or cigarettes can ignite dry
bark mulch, so try to use mulch in your yard or garden well away from your
home.
If your property already has a grassy area,
remember that a well-maintained lawn can be included in a fire-resistant
landscape. If drought and Oregon’s dry summers regularly turn your lawn to
brown, it might be time to consider removing some or all of your lawn area and
replacing it with fire-resistant trees and plants.
Be sure to inquire at your local reputable
neighborhood nursery or look online to read more about good fire-resistant
plant choices.
For more information:www.firefree.org/images/uploads/FIR_FireResPlants_07.pdf
Cynthia Orlando has a degree in forest management and is a certified arborist with the Oregon Department of Forestry
