Fire-Wise Gardening in Central Oregon: Beautiful Choices That Help Protect Your Home
Gardens can do so much more than look pretty. Around here, they’re also part of how we care for the land, our homes, and each other—especially as wildfire season becomes a more regular part of our summers.
We believe you don’t have to sacrifice beauty to be smart about fire safety. With the right plant choices, you can create a landscape that’s both stunning and resilient. We've spent time digging into the OSU Extension Fire-Resistant Plants guide to pull out some of our favorite fire-wise plants that grow beautifully here in Central Oregon.
Whether you’re starting fresh or updating an existing space, these plants are worth a closer look.
What Makes a Plant Fire-Wise?
Fire-wise plants tend to be:
Low in sap, resin, or oils (those can act like fuel in a fire)
Moist and pliable, with soft leaves that are harder to ignite
Slow to accumulate dry, dead matter
Dense but not too woody, especially close to the home
Choosing these types of plants—especially within the first 30 feet of your home—can help reduce your risk while still creating a peaceful, thriving outdoor space.
Our Favorite Fire-Wise Plants for Central Oregon
We’ve gathered some of the standouts from the OSU guide that not only help reduce fire risk but also bring beauty and pollinators to your yard.
Ground Covers & Low-Growing Friends
Sedum, Stonecrop & Hens-and-Chicks – These hardy succulents are a favorite around here for good reason. They're drought-tolerant, thrive in sunny rock gardens, and form dense mats that help suppress weeds and retain moisture. We carry a wide variety—some with colorful foliage, others with starry little flowers—and most are excellent fire-wise choices.
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) – A charming native groundcover that spreads gently and produces sweet berries for both people and wildlife. Its low, leafy growth holds moisture well, helping to reduce fire risk.
Perennials That Pull Double Duty
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – A favorite for its lacy leaves and long-blooming flower heads. It’s hardy, pollinator-friendly, and holds up beautifully in dry conditions.
Agastache (Agastache spp.) – Also known as hummingbird mint, these aromatic perennials offer vertical interest with their spiky blooms in shades of purple, pink, or orange. They're drought-tolerant, attract pollinators, and have a minty fragrance. We carry several varieties, including Agastache rupestris (Sunset Hyssop), known for its heat tolerance and ability to thrive in dry, nutrient-poor soil .
Coreopsis (Coreopsis tinctoria) – Cheerful and sun-loving, these little blooms bring a pop of yellow without adding fire risk.
Pinleaf Penstemon (Penstemon pinifolius) – A standout for both beauty and fire resilience. This low-growing perennial features fine, needle-like foliage (hence the name “pinleaf”) and vibrant tubular flowers in fiery reds or oranges. It thrives in well-drained soils, attracts hummingbirds, and has a tidy, mounding habit that helps limit dead material buildup—making it a smart, stylish addition to any fire-wise garden.
Shrubs That Bring Structure
Vine Maple (Acer circinatum) – A local gem. This smaller maple has lovely fall color and works well as a structural element in a naturalistic garden.
Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) – Known for its striking red winter stems, this shrub offers multi-season interest and helps prevent erosion.
Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii) – With fragrant white blossoms and an upright habit, it’s a timeless choice that blends beautifully into many garden styles.
Fire-Wise Trees
Maples (Acer spp.) – Many maple varieties are considered fire-wise thanks to their broad, moisture-rich leaves and lower resin content. From the native vine and bigleaf maples to ornamental favorites, these trees offer seasonal beauty, dappled shade, and practical fire resistance.
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.) – This lovely small tree or large shrub brings four seasons of interest: delicate white spring flowers, summer berries that birds (and people) love, glowing fall color, and striking winter form. It’s a fantastic choice for a fire-wise landscape—native, hardy, and low-maintenance.
Birches (Betula spp.) – With their distinctive bark and graceful canopy, birch trees bring lightness and beauty to any garden. When properly watered and maintained, they can be a fire-wise choice due to their higher moisture content and limited fuel load.
Smart Garden Design: Beyond Plant Choices
Choosing the right plants is just the beginning. To create a truly fire-wise garden, it helps to design your space with maintenance, labor, and spacing in mind. Here’s how to set yourself—and your garden—up for success.
Design for Maintenance
Gardening should feel like a joy, not a chore. When you choose plants that don’t drop a lot of dry leaves or dead branches, you cut down on cleanup and fire risk. Keep paths clear and avoid overcrowding to make pruning and raking easier. Use non-flammable mulches like gravel or crushed stone to suppress weeds safely.
Prioritize Labor Early
Think long-term about the effort your garden will need. Group plants with similar water and pruning needs together, so your care routine flows naturally. Choose hardy natives and perennials that come back year after year. And don’t forget to plan access paths—it makes seasonal cleaning less of a hassle.
Pro tip: Start small. Focus on one garden zone at a time to build fire-wise habits without feeling overwhelmed.
Space Plants Strategically
Spacing isn’t just about looks—it’s fire safety. Give shrubs and perennials enough room so flames can’t easily leap from one to the next. Avoid “ladder fuels” by making sure there’s vertical separation between low plants, shrubs, and trees. Around your home, leave a 3–5 foot buffer zone free of dense plants—gravel or bare soil work great here.
Keep Your Garden Fire-Ready Year-Round
Even the best fire-wise garden needs a little TLC. Make a habit of:
Pruning dead or damaged growth every spring
Raking leaves and clearing debris before fire season
Watering drought-tolerant plants occasionally to keep them healthy and moist
Checking gutters and clearing needles regularly
Keep your gardening tools handy and your cleanup routine consistent—small efforts now mean big peace of mind later.
Fire-wise gardening isn’t just practical—it’s a way of caring deeply for your land and your community. You don’t have to sacrifice joy or color to be smart about fire safety. With the right plant choices and thoughtful design, your Central Oregon garden can be both stunning and resilient.