Plants to Reduce Ignitability

If you are in a fire-prone area of Wisconsin, the plants you use around your home to landscape play a critical role in reducing the ignitability of your home.  For a landscaping approach adapted to wildfire, avoid using plants near your home that are highly flammable. Instead, use plants that are low growing, compact, succulent, deciduous (leaves instead of needles) and have a low volume of overall total vegetation. 

Nannyberry
Viburnum lentago
A common native shrub with white flowers in May and fruit that change from blue to black in fall. The shrub tolerates shade and its fall color is often a vivid combination of oranges and reds. The fruit is sweet and eaten by an array of birds and wildlife.

Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
This plant blooms from March to July and sets fruit in mid-to-late summer (June to August). Red columbine is pollinated by hummingbirds, hawk moths and at least four bee species.

Moss Phlox
Phlox subulata
A perennial forming evergreen mats of needle-like foliage covered by masses of flowers in various shades of pink, purple or white that bloom from March to June. Great for rock gardens.

Wintergreen
Gaultheria procumbens
A low, woody ground cover with shiny dark green leaves that turn reddish with the advent of cold weather. Small bell-shaped white to pink flowers are produced from June to August, followed by red berries in the fall that may persist through the winter. This leathery perennial has creeping underground stems, thus forming small colonies of plants.

Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
A popular ground cover whose name comes from the grape-like fruit it produces. It produces clusters of small, white-to-pink, urn-shaped flowers that bloom from May to June. The fruit is bright red to pink that will persist on the plant into early winter. The fruit is eaten by a few species of songbirds and game animals.

Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
A common native shrub that produces flowers and fruit from May to July. The clusters of white flowers in the spring are an excellent nectar source, and the red fruits in the autumn are eaten by many species of birds.

Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
This plant blooms from April to July, and the nectar and pollen of the flowers attract a variety of bee species, small butterflies, and other insects.

Plants Also Suitable For Shoreland Buffers