The Fire Resistant Tree All California Home Owners Should Plant In Their Yard

If you live in a fire-prone area, especially in California, you may be wishing to take a critical look at your landscaping to see how you can make the space around your house more fire-resistant to protect your home and the surrounding vegetation. Creating a defensible space is one of the best ways to help protect your home against fires. One way you can do this is by planting fire-resistant plants, including trees, shrubs, and groundcovers. Many of these species have adapted to survive the effects of fire, and some can even slow the spread and prevent it from reaching your house. One native fire-resistant tree all California homeowners should consider planting in their yard is the western catalpa (Catalpa speciosa).

The western catalpa has a lot of the characteristics you should be looking for when selecting the most fire-resistant trees for your yard. Firstly, it's deciduous, which means it can slow the spread of fire and block embers (as long as you rake up the leaves to eliminate excess fuel load). It also has large, coarse leaves that are covered with soft hairs. In general, deciduous leaves have more water content, which gives them greater fire resistance. The rounded crown and spreading branches give the tree a nice open-growth structure, which is recommended when planting fire-resistant trees.

The western catalpa is a large shade tree that can be grown in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8. It's native to the eastern and central United States. Apart from the lovely large heart-shaped leaves, the tree also produces creamy white flowers in late spring that look a little like orchids. The long, thin seed pods turn brown in the fall and resemble cigars. This tree can be planted in full sun or part shade, and prefers moist soil that contains plenty of organic matter. Planting this attractive tree in your garden ensures that you're growing one of the best plants to have in your yard if you live in a fire-prone region. 

Although this species is drought-resistant, giving it ample irrigation during dry spells will ensure healthy and lush growth. This, in turn, will help improve its fire-resistance. The only thing you'll have to watch with this tree is that the wood can be a bit brittle, so it's essential to remove any dead branches when you spot them. Just a final note: This species is listed on the Michigan and Maryland invasive plant lists, so always check with your local municipality to ensure you're not planting an invasive species in your yard. If you're looking for even more suitable trees, while you'll find that there are numerous types of oak trees you can plant in your yard, both the pin oak and the red oak are regarded as fire-resistant and will add some cooling shade to your garden.