El Dorado County Fire-Safe Vegetation List

Key:

Zone = mz mountain zone above 3000',fz foothill zone below 3000', vz valley zone below 1500' (Note: For the following, if characteristics are unknown, may be arbitrarily assigned a "5".)

Fire = 1 fire resistant, 10 very flammable

Drought = 1 drought tolerant, 10 needs moisture

Deer = 1 deer resistant, 10 browsed hard

Shade = 1 shade tolerant, 10 full sun

Wildlife = 1 high value, 10 low value

All plants will burn if dry/heated sufficiently in a fire situation. Spacing, height and mix of species are important. Spring wildflowers may avoid fire by dormancy.

All Rights Reserved 2004. Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign. Notification of corrections/omissions appreciated. El Dorado Co. Fire-Safe Veg. List, Ver.1.1, 5/04, R.Griffiths. raygriff@innercite.com

Native Trees

Name	Common name	Zone	Fire	Drought	Deer	Shade	Wildlife	Comments
Abies concolor	White fir	mz	10	3	3	2	3	Shade tolerant, flammable "ladder fuel", common w/fire suppression. Seeds & hollow logs for wildlife.
Acer macrophyllum	Big-leaf Maple	m&fz	1	7	8	3	2	Needs moist soil, Browse, seeds, sap important to wildlife. Top killed by fire, sprouts from roots.
Aesculus californica	CA Buckeye	fz	4	3	4	7	4	Toxic but deer browsed, avoids drought by leaf loss, dry north slopes, fire killed top, sprout from roots.
Alnus rhombifolia	White Alder	all	1	10	7	9	4	Imp.to birds, not deer, needs moisture, attractive tree, nitrogen fixing, deep green, leaves imp. to streams.
Arbutus menziesii	Madrone	m&fz	2	3	6	3	2	Fruit for birds, poor browse, preferred for cavity nests, attractive leaves & bark, fire topkills, root sprout
Calocedrus decurrens	Incense Cedar	f&mz	1,10	3	2	2	3	Shade tolerant,young "ladder fuel",fire resistant mature,seeds insects & hollow logs for wildlife,timber tree.
Cornus nuttallii	Dogwood	mz	2	8	4	2	3	Shade tolerant, ornamental, deer browse shoots, birds like fruit, often riparian, fire top kills, resprouts.
Pinus lambertania	Sugar Pine	mz	2	3	3	4	4	Huge, beautiful, valuable timber tree, birds like seeds, cavity nesting, tolerant of light shade resists fire.
Pinus ponderosa	Ponderosa Pine	f&mz	2	2	2	9	3	Timber, mature fire resistant, plantations burn, seed cover snags down trees for wildlife, adaptable, sun
Pinus sabiniana	Grey Pine	fz	2	1	1	9	2	Drought tolerant, young fire killed, mature resistant, seeds valuable wildlife, rapid growth, serpentine soils
Populus fremontii	Cottonwood	v&fz	1	9	10	9	2	Large riparian, easily rooted&grown w/irrigation, rapid growth, messy, burns poorly, topkilled, resprouts.
Populus tremuloides	Aspen	mz	1	9	10	9	2	Needs moist soil, browse, seeds, sap important to wildlife. Top killed by fire, sprouts from roots, attractive
Pseudotsuga menziesii	Douglas Fir	mz	2	4	4	6	3	Timber, mature fire resistant, xmas tree, ornamental, seeds & cover for wildlife, endangered sp. in mature.
Quercus sp.	California Oaks							Most common native tree below conifers, acorns valuable to wildlife, cover & browse varies. All tolerate fire, most topkilled, resprout.
Quercus chrysolepis	Canyon Live Oak	f&mz	3	2	3	3	3	Strong timber, fire sensitive, resprouts, wildlife cover & food, fair browse, young shade tolerant, firewood
Quercus douglasii	Blue Oak	fz	4	2	8	7	2	Fire sensitive, resprouts decline w/age, poor seedling recruitment, valuable wildlife, fair browse, drought
Quercus garryana	Oregon Oak	f&mz	3	3	6	3	8	Large or small tree, fire topkilled, resprout, useful timber, acorns important for wildlife
Quercus kelloggii	Black Oak	f&mz	3	3	9	4	2	Timber, firewood, fire sensitive & tolerant, resprouts, attractive and useful tree, valuable wildlife, browse
Quercus lobata	Valley Oak	v&fz	3	3	8	7	2	Mature fire tolerant, young resprout, drought tolerant, deep alluvial soils, beautiful large tree, poor seedling
Quercus wislizenii	Int. Live Oak	v&fz	4	2	4	4	3	Fire sensitive, resprouts decline w/age, drought tolerant, shrub or tree, wildlife cover, browse resistant.
Salix sp.	Willows	all	1	10	10	8	1	Many species, all prefer moisture & sun, shrubs to trees, rarely burn, resprout, excellent for all wildlife.
Sequoiadendron giganteum	Giant Sequoia	mz	1	5	4	8	4	Attractive tree, young topkilled, mature fire immune, moisture, established drought tolerant, wildlife cover
Taxus brevifolia	Pacific Yew	mz	6	7	9	10	2	Shady moist coniferous forest, fire sensitive, rarely burned, shade tolerant, good hedge,browse, wildlife
Umbellularia californica	Ca. Bay	f&mz	3	3	5	3	5	Attractive tree, rarely burns,fire topkills, resprouts, mature drought tolerant, shoots browsed, fair wildlife

Native Shrubs

Name	Common name	Zone	Fire	Drought	Deer	Shade	Wildlife	Comments
Adenostema fasciculatum	Chamise	fz	10	1	2	10	9	Fine branched resinous "fire-bomb", needs fire, clear far away, encourage other less flammable sp.
Arctostaphylos sp.	Manzanita							Many species, most fire adapted, reproduce from seed, resprout., drought tolerant, thin for safety, few tree-like, attractive bark, flowers, fruit.
Arctostaphylos manzanita	Common Manzan.	fz	8	1	1	9	3	Fire killed, seed stimulated, tree-like, common southern Sierra, poor browse, wildlife cover, fruit, flowers
Arctostaphylos patula	Green-lf Manza	mz	8	2	2	8	3	Fire topkills, resprouts, poor browse, common high elevation shrub,cover flowers & fruit for wildlife
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi	Bearberry	fz	2	3	2	8	7	Fire resistant, topkills, resprouts, native to Sierras not local, many varieties,ground cover, + insects&cover
Arctostaphylos viscida	White-leaf Manz.	fz	9	1	2	10	3	Fire killed, seed stimulated, most common low elevation, tree-like, poor browse, wildlife cover, fruit flowers
Baccharis pilularis	Coyote Bush	fz	2	2	1	10	4	Fire resistant, top-kills, resprout, pioneer plant, tough, dwarf form groundcover, poor browse, + insects
Berberis sp.	Oregon Grape	f&mz	6	4	2	9	4	Fire topkills, resprout, attractive flowers, wildlife likes fruit, poor browse, likes some moisture
Calycanthus occidentalis	Ca Spicebush	fz	2	10	2	2	6	Foothill riparian shrub, beautiful flowers, needs water, deer resistant, shade tolerant but slow.
Ceanothus sp.								Many species in Ca, valuable browse and for wildlife, fixes nitrogen, good cover, may be attractive or not, flower colors vary, many horticultural varieties
Ceanothus cuneatus	Buckbrush	fz	7	1	10	10	2	Tough spiny chaparral shrub, fire topkills, seed regrowth, valuable wildlife browse, cover, not attractive
Ceanothus integerrimus	Deerbrush	mz	5	5	10	9	1	Fire killed, seed stimulated, valuable browse, pioneer plant, clear under conifers for fire ladder break.
Ceonothus lemmonii	Lemmon's Ceanothus	f&mz	6	4	8	8	4	Attractive low shrub w/blue flowers, not large enough to be a fire problem, wildlife uses leaves, flowers.
Cercis occidentalis	Ca Redbud	fz	6	3	3	8	4	Beautiful in bloom, widespread, fire topkills, resprouts, fruit & flowers edible, some summer water.
Chamaebatia foliolosa	Mt. Misery	mz	10	2	2	2	8	Resinous ground cover in conifers, burns easily, resprouts, carries ground fires, nitrogen fixer, ok browse.
Corylus cornuta	Ca Hazel	mz	3	6	5	2	3	Attractive shrub-sm.tree, fire topkills, resprouts, fair browse, moist soil, shade, wildlife use nuts, buds, fls.
Dendromecon rigida	Bush Poppy	fz	4	2	6	10	5	Beautiful flowers, needs excellent drainage, fire topkills, resprouts, tough shrub.
Diplacus aurantiacus	Bush Monkeyflower	fz	5	3	2	3	3	Good bloom, fire frost topkill, resprout, tolerates dry, likes some shade, water, hummingbirds & insects like
Eriodictyon californica	Yerba Santa	fz	8	1	3	10	5	Attractive fls, lvs have aromatic compounds useful for sore throats, lvs flammable, fire topkills
Fremontodendron calif.	Flannel Bush	fz	7	3	7	9	4	Pretty yellow fls, fire topkills, rapid resprouts, deer browse young lvs, fire adapted
Garrya sp.	Silktassel Bush	f&mz	3	4	7	3	3	Attractive tasseled fls, several spp, fire topkills, resprout, deer browse, fruit birds & mammals, shade ok
Heteromeles arbutifolia	Toyon	fz	3	2	3	8	3	Dark green lvs, red berries for birds & mammals, fire topkill, resprout, somewhat fire resistant.
Lupinus sp.	Bush Lupine	fz	2	4	2	9	7	Fls purple, white or yellow, nitrogen fixer, poor browse, insects like fls., grows in poor soil
Prunus virginiana	Chokecherry	mz	2	5	3	6	2	Attractive fls, lvs & fruit important to wildlife, needs some moisture, fire topkills, resprouts
Rhamnus californica	Coffeeberry	f&mz	3	3	8	3	3	Tough grey shrub, fruit important to wildlife, deer browse in winter, tolerates shade
Rhamnus crocea	Redberry	fz	5	1	2	6	3	Small, tough chaparral shrub, looks like tiny oak w/red berries, resprouts from burn, berries imp.for birds.
Rhus trilobata	Lemonadeberry	fz	5	3	4	5	3	Attractive mid-elevation shrub, tart berries used for drink, can be pruned, tolerates dry or semi-moist
Ribes sp.	Gooseberry	mz	5	4	3	3	2	Several spp, spiny, attractive sm.shrubs, pretty flowers, browsed some, fruit for birds, below conifers
Rosa californica, sp.	Ca Rose	fz	2	8	9	3	3	Large moist meadow shrub, large pink fls, red fruits, browsed hard, thorns, smaller spp.below conifers
Rubus parviflora	Thimbleberry	mz	2	7	3	2	3	Low dense shrubby, attractive, shade tolerant, excludes other shrubs, fruit for birds, fire resprouts
Salvia sp.	Sages	fz	5	5	2	7	5	Many spp., poor browse, seeds for wildlife, resprouts following light fires, fls.for insects
Sambucus mexicana	Elderberry	fz	4	6	3	8	2	Edible berry, fair browse, fire cracks seeds, resprouts readily, fruit, fls are valuable for wildlife
Styrax officinalis	Styrax	fz	4	3	5	8	5	Med. size shrub, attractive fragrant white flowers, rocky canyon slopes, tolerates drought w/drainage
Symphocarpus rivularis	Snowberry	f&mz	4	3	3	3	7	Several spp, creeping or low shrub, white berries, below conifers or riparian, fire resprout, fair wildlife
Toxicodendron diversilobum	Poison Oak	fz	9	4	6	2	3	Shrub or vine, fire topkills, resprouts, smoke toxic, dangerous ladder fuel, deer browse, fruit for birds

Native Vines, Herbs & Grasses

Name	Common name	Zone	Fire	Drought	Deer	Shade	Wildlife	Comments
Achnatherum sp.	Needlegrass	f&mz	8	2	2	8	4	Several drought tolerant native bunch grasses, attractive seed stalks
Achillea millefolium	Yarrow	f&mz	1	3	1	9	7	Low growing, attractive fls, poor browse, ignition resistant, pioneer sp.
Allium sp.	Wild Onion	all	2	3	4	8	5	Many species, most uncommon, attractive fls, usually pink, onion smell, early spring wildflower.
Apocynum sp	Indian Hemp	fz	2	6	1	2	6	2 spp., Hemp green in moist areas, Dogbane low, pink fls.below conifers, both toxic to deer. Fiber plant
Aquilegia formosa	Columbine	f&mz	2	8	1	4	3	Beautiful red fls.,likes moisture, not browsed, hummingbird plant
Aristolochia californica	Dutchman Pipevine	fz	2	8	2	2	3	Beautiful vine, unique fls, likes moist soil below oaks, riparian, host of Pipevine Swallowtail rare butterfly
Artemesia douglasiana	Mugwort	fz	2	7	2	3	8	Low growing, dense stand in moist soil, aromatic, not browsed, binds soils.
Asarum sp.	Wild Ginger	mz	2	7	2	1	8	Attractive deep green ground cover in moist areas below conifers, fire sensitive, aromatic root
Asclepias sp.	Milkweed	f&mz	2	5	1	7	3	Several spp., some fls. quite ornamental, bitter toxic sap, host for Monarch butterfly
Aster sp.	Aster	f&mz	3	5	4	3	3	Several spp. pale to deep purple w/yellow center, open forests, light shade.
Brodiaea sp.	Brodiaea spp.	all	2	3	6	4	4	Many spp., Brodiaea, Dichlostemma, Tritelia. Blue, purple, also white,yellow spring fls., grass-like lvs.
Calochortus sp.	Mariposa Lilies	v&fz	2	3	9	8	4	Many spp., perennial bulbs, beautiful fls, cream, yellow w/magenta, everything eats it.
Carex sp.	Sedges	all	1	9	4	3	6	Sedges grass-like except triangular stems, many spp. most like wet soil, incredible erosion control, tough
Chlorogalum pomeridianum	Soaproot	f&mz	1	4	7	4	3	Bulb used for soap, tolerates fire, deer eat fl spike, bees use summer fls, attractive white fls.
Chrysothamnus sp.	Rabbitbrush	mz	6	3	2	8	2	Not attractive, shrubby plant w/yellow fls, very imp. to butterflies and other insects.
Cirsium protanum	Ca Thistle	v&fz	3	3	1	8	2	Several sp. of native thistles, some red fls, very attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds.
Clarkia sp.	Clarkia species	f&mz	2	3	3	4	5	Many spp., beautiful late spring pink/purple fls, plants spindly, some like dry,sun others moist,shade
Clematis lasiantha	Foothill Clematis	fz	4	3	2	3	3	Drought tolerant, climb up on shrubs/trees, attractive fls, interesting fruit,
Collinsia heterophylla	Chinese Houses	fz	3	6	3	4	4	Beautiful native wildflower on shady banks, N slopes, purple/white fls, bee forage
Danthonia californica	Ca Oatgrass	f&mz	3	8	7	8	2	Native, low-growing meadow grass, very palatable to livestock, birds like seed heads
Dicentra formosa	Bleeding Heart	f&mz	2	8	1	1	7	Beautiful pink fls, found in shady, moist woods, likes deep shade in warm areas(N side of house)
Dodecatheon sp.	Shooting Star	f&mz	3	3	5	2	5	Beautiful magenta early spring fls., low elev. under oaks, high elev. in meadows.
Epilobium (Zauschneria)	Ca Fuschia	f&mz	2	5	2	4	2	Tough perennial plant, bright red "Hummingbird" fls. tolerates mowing, light green lvs, wiry plant.
Epilobium angustifolium	Fireweed	mz	3	8	4	4	5	Bright purple fls. invades high elev. meadows, esp. after fires. Likes moist, open areas.
Epilobium sp.	Farewell to spring	all	3	3	5	8	3	Late spring wildflowers, pink/purple, large fls, small plants, many species.
Equisetum sp.	Scouring Rush	f&mz	1	9	1	3	9	Primitive, coarse stemmed "Horsetail" grows in water, inedible, high silica stems used to scour pots.
Eschscholzia californica	Ca Poppy	all	2	2	2	9	5	Yellow or orange spring perennial flower tolerates awful soil, needs good drainage, pollen for bees etc.
Festuca californica	Ca Fescue	fz	4	3	7	3	5	One of several native fescues, tolerates serpentine soils, shade under shrubs and trees.
Frageria sp.	Wild Strawberry	f&mz	3	8	5	1	5	Native strawberry lives under conifers in moist areas, tolerates dense shade.
Grindelia sp.	Gum Plant	v&fz	3	2	2	10	3	Late summer bright yellow blooms provide nectar, seem to slow grass fires. Gummy lvs.
Heucheria sp.	Alum Root	f&mz	3	7	3	2	3	Many spp, often grow in shade, rocks, moist areas, usually white or pink airy stalks of fls.
Hoita (Psoralea) sp.	Scurf Pea	f&mz	3	8	1	4	4	Herbaceous perennials (3 spp), like giant clover, creeping or tall, dies to ground, purple fl
Horklia sp.	Horklia	v&fz	2	3	5	7	5	Small, leafy ground cover, sm. white fls. in the spring, under Manzanita or oaks.
Iris sp.	Wild Iris	f&mz	3	3	1	3	5	Many spp, often purple, some yellow or cream. Most drought tolerant, some like wet areas, easy to grow.
Juncus sp.	Rushes	all	1	9	3	4	6	Many spp, "grass-like" round lvs, wetland/meadow plants, erosion control, some bunches others creeping
Linium sp.	Flax	v&fz	3	3	5	4	3	Small, bright blue spring wildflowers that survive among grasses.
Lonicera hispidula	Honeysuckle	fz	3	2	2	2	4	Shade tolerant vine, few attractive pink fls, chaparral sp. w/yellow fls, nectar for insects, fruit for birds
Lupinus sp.	Annual Lupine	v&fz	3	3	1	8	4	Purple wildflower, many spp., prefers gravelly dry soils w/little nutrient value.
Melica californica	Ca. Oniongrass	f&mz	3	3	4	2	4	Several spp., native perennial bunch grass, often grazed out on rangeland, tolerate shade.
Mimulus sp.	Monkeyflowers	all	2	8	5	5	4	Many spp., often yellow or purple, some tiny, annual or perennial, some in springs/seeps, others in dry.
Monardella sp.	Coyote Mint	f&mz	3	3	1	6	3	Low growing mint, white/pink/purple fls, some shade, butterfly plant, rock gardens
Muhlenbergia rigens	Deergrass	v&fz	4	6	2	4	5	Striking native bunch grass, likes wet but tolerates drought, easily grown, very useful
Nasella sp.	Needlegrass	f&mz	8	2	2	8	4	Several drought tolerant native bunch grasses, formerly common, attractive seed stalks
Nemophila sp.	Baby-blue-eyes	v&fz	3	4	3	7	5	Sky blue wildflower, related Five Spot likes moisture, has white fls w/purple spots
Oenothera sp.	Evening Primrose	f&mz	4	3	3	3	3	Many spp, usually early summer pink/purple wildflowers, spindly plants, large fls, dry shady - sunny banks
Penstemon sp.	Penstemon	f&mz	3	3	2	4	3	Many spp, low perennials, usually purple or red fls, dry banks, attractive to bees and/or hummingbirds
Poa secunda	Pine Bluegrass	v&fz	4	3	5	2	5	Sm native bunchgrass, hills or banks, w/trees or not, may be grazed out, dark green, dormant early summer
Potentilla glandulosa	Cinquefoil	f&mz	3	5	6	6	6	Perennial, yellow fl, lvs like strawberry, tolerates dry, often in open forested areas
Ranunculus sp.	Buttercup	fz	3	3	4	3	4	Bright yellow fls in meadow areas that dry in summer, part shade, open woodlands.
Sedum sp.	Stonecrop	f&mz	2	1	3	10	5	Fleshy perennial in rocky cliffs, often reddish lvs, yellow fls,
Sidalcea sp.	Checker Mallow	f&mz	3	4	7	3	3	Many spp, stalk of pink/purple "Hollyhock" fls from small clump of rounded lvs. Open forests, light shade
Sisyrinchium bellum	Blue-eyed Grass	fz	3	6	7	5	4	Grass-like lvs, pretty blue fls w/yellow centers, found in water and on dry slopes, other sp is yellow
Solanum xantii	Blue Witch	fz	3	3	1	4	4	Herbaceous perennial, electric blue/purple fl w/yellow center, in oak woodlands/brush
Solidago californica	Goldenrod	fz	3	4	2	3	2	Low perennial, bright yellow fl in late summer when all is brown, imp. insect fl., inhibits weeds
Vitis californica	Ca Grape	fz	2	8	3	3	2	Grape vine found in riparian areas, yellow fall lvs, fruit very imp. to mammals, birds
Wyethia sp.	Mules Ears	f&mz	3	3	3	7	3	Low perennial, several spp, long fuzzy lvs, yellow sunflower-like fls, seeds, fls. imp. to wildlife