Native Plant Flammability Database

Welcome to the South East Landcare Plant Flammability Database. Our Landcare Nurseries across the South East have collaborated to create an invaluable resource for gardeners, landscapers and landholders. By categorising the native plants grown in our nurseries into flammability ratings, we aim to provide you with essential information to make informed plant and landscape design choices. This database is built on a literature review and a synthesis of data from various existing trusted sources. Our goal is to help you protect your home and assets by making strategic planting decisions that suppress and minimise fire threats, all while maintaining the rich biodiversity and habitats that our landscapes and wildlife depends on. We invite you to explore our database and the other highlighted resources to help you make your surroundings safer and more resilient against fire.

Why Plant Flammability Matters

In fire-prone areas, the selection of plant species can significantly impact the severity and spread of fire. Knowing the flammability of plants helps in making informed decisions to create safer landscapes, reduce fire hazards, and enhance community resilience.

What You’ll Find

Our database offers detail of numerous plant species, including:

– Flammability Ratings: Assessments based on a literature review of scientific research and field observations, categorising plants from low to high flammability.

– Plant Characteristics: Categorisation of each species by plant form, shrub, climber, small tree etc.

– Where to source these species: identification of which of our Landcare nurseries supply each species.

Benefits of Using the Database

This resource pulls together various information into a simple starting searchable database. You can use this as a starting point to spring board into your own research and allows you to make plant and landscape design choices to be better prepared for fire.

How to Use the Database

The South East Landcare Native Plant Flammability Database is designed to provide you with a quick and efficient starting point for selecting plants for your garden or landscape project. You can easily search the database by plant type, geographic location, flammability rating, or specific species. You can use this user-friendly database on its own as a quick reference, or as a springboard for conducting your own detailed research.

Flammability Ratings Explained:

– Low:  Slow to ignite and burns at low intensity for short periods. Burns in flame but extinguishes readily when flame is removed.

– Medium: Immediate ignition and intensity but extinguishes readily. Burns in flame but extinguishes soon after flame is removed.

–  High: Ignites easily and burns with a hot flame for long periods. Combusts easily and burns vigorously even when removed from the flame.

– Unknown/Uncategorised: No specific resource has been found to categorise this species. Caution would suggest it is Moderate to High. Please consider doing your own research.

The database is not exhaustive and focuses on the native plants that are grown in our South East Landcare region. The plants will predominantly be suited to growing conditions in the South East.

Other Resources to Assist You in Landscape Design

In putting together this database, the following list of references has been used to assist in categorising each plant species. For more detailed information, consider reading this reference material or conducting your own research. There may be other resources available.

We also believe the below resources are helpful in the design of fire smart landscape

Landscaping for Bushfire: Garden Design and Plant Selection (PDF 4.1MB)  – CFA Victoria

Safer Gardens Plant Flammability & Planning for Fire, L. Corbett, 2021

Living Resource

This database is a living resource. It is regularly reviewed and updated as needed. It was last updated in June 2024.

Get Involved

We encourage community participation! Share your observations, contribute data, and help us improve the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the database. Together, we can enhance fire safety and promote sustainable land management practices.

Contact Us

For more information or assistance, please reach out to our support team. We are here to help you make informed decisions for a safer, greener South East.