Australian Plants Society (Victoria)

Promoting the Appreciation and Preservation of Australian Plants


These plants have been found to provide some degree of protection during bushfires.

neil_marriott

The lists were compiled by Mr Neil Marriott based on the experiences of APS Victoria members, many of whom have properties in fire-prone areas which have been affected by bushfires.

Please note that this information is of a general nature and is provided subject to our Terms of Use.

Neil welcomes suggestions on additions, deletions and other alterations to the lists. He can be contacted at:

PO Box 107, Stawell Vic 3380
Phone: (03) 5356 2404
>> Send email

During extreme bushfire events neither these nor other plant types will protect your property.
Good design and use of the plants listed will, however, reduce the chance of being burnt out.

Simple test to gauge the fire vulnerability of the trees and shrubs in your garden:

When fire restrictions permit burning off, throw a small sample of foliage from each tree and shrub onto a fire and see how much it flares up.

Consider removing plants with foliage which flares fiercely.

Fire Resistant Plants. Plants that will not burn in the face of continued flame:

Botanical nameCommon nameBotanical nameCommon name
Atriplex cinereaCoast SaltbushMaireana oppositifoliaHeathy Bluebush
Atriplex leptocarpaSlender-fruit SaltbushMaireana pentagonaHairy Bluebush
Atriplex limbataSpreading SaltbushMaireana pentatropisErect Bluebush
Atriplex lindleyiFlat-top SaltbushMaireana pyramidataSago Bush
Atriplex nummulariaOld-man SaltbushMaireana radiataRadiant Bluebush
Atriplex rhagodioidesSilver SaltbushMaireana rohrlachiiRohrlach’s Bluebush
Atriplex semibaccataBerry SaltbushMaireana sedifoliaPearl Bluebush
Atriplex vesicariaBladder SaltbushMaireana turbinataSatiny Bluebush
Carpobrotus glaucescensBluish PigfaceMelia azedarachWhite Cedar
Carpobrotus modestusInland PigfaceMimulus repensCreeping Monkey-flower
Carpobrotus rossiiKarkallaMyoporum insulareCommon Boobialla
Carpobrotus virescensPigfaceMyoporum parvifoliumCreeping Myoporum
Chenopodium desertorumFrosted GoosefootMyoporum petiolatum
(formerly viscosum)
Sticky Boobialla
Disphyma crassifolium ssp clavellatumRounded Noon-flowerRhagodia candolleanaSeaberry Saltbush
Einadia hastataSaloopRhagodia crassifoliaFleshy Saltbush
Einadia nutans ssp nutansNodding SaltbushRhagodia parabolicaFragrant Saltbush
Enchylaena tomentosaRuby SaltbushRhagodia spinescensHedge Saltbush
Eremophila debilisCreeping Emu-bushSarcozona praecoxSarcozona
Hakea salicifoliaWillow-leaved hakea Scaevola calendulacea Dune Fan-flower
Maireana brevifoliaShort-leaf BluebushScaevola hookeriCreeping Fan-flower
Maireana decalvansBlack Cotton-bushSclerolaena diacanthaGrey Copperburr
Maireana enchylaenoidesWingless BluebushSclerolaena sppAll Copperburrs
Maireana eriocladaRosy BluebushSelliera radicansShiny Swamp-mat
Maireana excavataBottle BluebushZygophyllum apiculatumPointed Twin-leaf
Maireana georgeiSlit-wing BluebushZygophyllum billardiereiCoast Twin-leaf
Maireana microphyllaSmall-leaf BluebushZygophyllum sppAll Twin-leaf plants

Fire Retardant Plants. Plants that will not burn in the first wave of a bushfire, but may burn once dried out:

Botanical nameCommon nameBotanical nameCommon name
Acacia acinaceaGold-dust WattleCheilanthes sieberiNarrow Rock-fern
Acacia argyrophyllaSilver MulgaCoprosma hirtellaRough Coprosma
Acacia baileyanaCootamundra WattleCorrea glabraRock correa
Acacia binerviaCoast MyallCorymbia maculataSpotted Gum
Acacia brachybotryaGrey MulgaCyathea australisRough Tree-fern
Acacia buxifoliaBox-leaf WattleDerwentia derwentianaDerwent Speedwell
Acacia caerulescensLimestone Blue WattleDianella brevicaulisSmall-flower Flax-lily
Acacia cardiophyllaWyalong WattleDianella callicarpaSwamp Flax-lily
Acacia cultriformisKnife-leaf WattleDianella longifoliaPale Flax-lily
Acacia CyclopsWestern Coastal WattleDianella revolutaBlack-anther Flax-lily
Acacia dealbataSilver WattleDianella tardaLate-flower Flax-lily
Acacia deaneiDeane’s WattleDianella tasmanicaTasman Flax-lily
Acacia decoraWestern Silver WattleDichondra repensKidney-weed
Acacia decurrensEarly Black-wattleDoodia asperaPrickly Rasp-fern
Acacia elataCedar WattleDoodia australisCommon Rasp-fern
Acacia farinosaMealy WattleEremophila desertiWaterbush
Acacia fimbriataFringed WattleEremophila salignaWhite Emu-bush
Acacia floribundaWhite Sallow-wattleEremophila santalinaSandalwood Emu-bush
Acacia glandulicarpaHairy-pod WattleFicus macrophyllaMoreton Bay Fig
Acacia howittiiSticky WattleFicus rubiginosaRusty Fig
Acacia implexaLightwoodFrankenia paucifloraSouthern Sea-heath
Acacia iteaphyllaFlinders Range WattleGrevillea nudifloraLeafless-flowered Grevillea
Acacia kettlewelliaeBuffalo WattleHymenosporum flavumNative Frangipani
Acacia ligulataSmall CoobaLagunaria patersoniLord Howe Island Hibiscus
Acacia mearnsiiBlack WattleLasiopetalum macrophyllumShrubby Velvet-bush
Acacia melanoxylonBlackwoodLasiopetalum schulzeniiDrooping Velvet-bush
Acacia microcarpaManna WattleMyoporum acuminatumBoobialla
Acacia nano-dealbataDwarf Silver WattleMyoporum bateaePink Boobialla
Acacia obliquinerviaMountain Hickory WattleMyoporum montanumWaterbush
Acacia oswaldiiUmbrella WattleMyoporum petiolatumSticky Boobialla
Acacia pendulaWeeping MyallMyoporum platycarpumSugarwood
Acacia penninervisHickory WattleMyoporum velutinumWoolly Boobialla
Acacia podalyriifoliaQueensland Silver WattlePittosporum angustifoliumWeeping Pittosporum
Acacia pravissimaOvens WattlePittosporum bicolorBanyalla
Acacia prominensGosford or Golden Rain WattlePittosporum phylliraeoidesButterbush
Acacia salicinaWillow WattlePittosporum revolutumRough-fruit Pittosporum
Acacia salignaGolden Wreathe Wattle  
Acacia stenophyllaEumongScleranthus biflorusTwin-flower Knawel
Acacia terminalisSunshine WattleSenecio odoratusScented Groundsel
Acacia vestitaHairy WattleSenecio pinnatifoliusVariable Groundsel
Ajuga australisAustral BugleSolanum aviculareKangaroo Apple
Alectryon oleifolius ssp canescensCattle BushSolanum esurialeQuena
Alyxia buxifoliaSea BoxSolanum laciniatumLarge Kangaroo Apple
Angophora costataSmooth-barked AppleSolanum simileOondoroo
Brachychiton populneusKurrajongSyzigium (Acmena) smithiiLilly Pilly
Bursaria spinosaSweet BursariaViola hederaceaIvy-leaf Violet
Cheilanthes austrotenuifoliaGreen Rock-fern

WARNING: Recent research has shown that Pittosporum undulatum Sweet Pittosporum, which was previously on the fire retardant list, has now proven to be highly flammable once dried out and heated up by bushfires. It should NEVER be planted as it is also one of the most invasive weeds in our bushland. If you have already planted this species, it is recommended that you remove it immediately, as it is no longer safe to leave in your gardens or firebreaks, and is a serious threat to our bushland.