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5 Fire-Resistant Trees for Your Landscape

5 Fire-Resistant Trees for Your Landscape

Five trees with dense moisture-rich foliage that resist ignition in fire-prone landscapes.
BushfireFire RetardantHardy

Fire-resistant trees combine dense, moisture-rich foliage with low oil content and limited litter. They are not fireproof, but they slow fire spread and resist ember attack. These five reliably perform.

1. Laurus nobilis Bay

Dense moisture-rich foliage. The classic fire-resistant hedge.

2. Olea europaea Olive

Silver-grey leathery foliage resists ember ignition. Moisture-rich.

3. Brachychiton populneus Kurrajong

Thick fire-resistant bark and water-storing trunk. Australian native.

4. Ficus Hillii

Dense moisture-rich evergreen foliage in a fast hedge.

5. Murraya paniculata

Dense moisture-rich aromatic foliage in warm climates.

Planting for fire resistance

Keep moisture in the soil with deep mulch and consistent watering. Maintain clearance between groupings. Remove dead material regularly.

Compare at a glance

CultivarHeightWidthFormFoliageBest if you…
Laurus nobilis
Bay Tree 		3 to 6 m1.5 to 3 mUpright denseAromatic dense dark greenFire-prone perimeter hedges.
Olea europaea
Olive 		4 to 6 m3 to 4 mOpen roundedSilver-grey leatheryFire-prone Mediterranean gardens.
Brachychiton populneus
Kurrajong 		8 to 15 m4 to 6 mBottle-trunkedGlossy dark greenFire-prone inland sites.
Ficus microcarpa var. hillii
Hill's Weeping Fig 		5 to 10 m2 to 3 mDense uprightGlossy dark green moisture-richFire-prone perimeter hedges in warm climates.
Murraya paniculata
Orange Jasmine 		2 to 4 m1.5 to 2 mDense roundedGlossy dense aromaticFire-resistant warm-climate hedges.
Laurus nobilis

1. Laurus nobilis (Bay Tree)

Bay has dense moisture-rich foliage that resists ignition.

Type
Evergreen hedging tree
Height
3 to 6 m
Width
1.5 to 3 m
Growth rate
Slow to moderate
Foliage
Aromatic dense dark green
Form
Upright dense
Conditions
Full sun to part shade
Maintenance
Low
Best for
Fire-prone perimeter hedges.

Why choose it

Dense moisture-rich foliage slows fire spread.

Perfect pair

Bay hedge with a Magnolia feature.

Tips for planting

Keep well watered. Trim regularly.

Fire-resistant hedge classic.

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Olea europaea

2. Olea europaea (Olive)

Olives have high oil content, but their dense moisture-rich foliage resists ignition.

Type
Evergreen feature tree
Height
4 to 6 m
Width
3 to 4 m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Silver-grey leathery
Form
Open rounded
Conditions
Full sun
Maintenance
Low
Best for
Fire-prone Mediterranean gardens.

Why choose it

Moisture-rich silver foliage resists ember ignition.

Perfect pair

Olive feature with a Bay hedge.

Tips for planting

Keep mulch well watered.

Fire-tough Mediterranean.

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Brachychiton populneus

3. Brachychiton populneus (Kurrajong)

Kurrajong has thick fire-resistant bark and water-storing trunk.

Type
Evergreen native tree
Height
8 to 15 m
Width
4 to 6 m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Glossy dark green
Form
Bottle-trunked
Conditions
Full sun
Maintenance
Low
Best for
Fire-prone inland sites.

Why choose it

Thick bark and water-storing trunk.

Perfect pair

Kurrajong feature with a Bay hedge.

Tips for planting

Plant clear of structures.

Fire-resistant native.

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Ficus microcarpa var. hillii

4. Ficus microcarpa var. hillii (Hill's Weeping Fig)

Ficus Hillii has dense moisture-rich evergreen foliage resistant to ember ignition.

Type
Evergreen hedging tree
Height
5 to 10 m
Width
2 to 3 m
Growth rate
Fast
Foliage
Glossy dark green moisture-rich
Form
Dense upright
Conditions
Full sun to part shade
Maintenance
Moderate
Best for
Fire-prone perimeter hedges in warm climates.

Why choose it

Dense moisture-rich foliage resists ember ignition.

Perfect pair

Ficus Hillii hedge with an Olive feature.

Tips for planting

Keep well watered.

Fire-resistant hedge.

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Murraya paniculata

5. Murraya paniculata (Orange Jasmine)

Murraya carries dense moisture-rich foliage that resists ignition.

Type
Evergreen hedging shrub
Height
2 to 4 m
Width
1.5 to 2 m
Growth rate
Moderate
Foliage
Glossy dense aromatic
Flowers
White fragrant
Form
Dense rounded
Conditions
Warm climates
Maintenance
Low
Best for
Fire-resistant warm-climate hedges.

Why choose it

Dense moisture-rich foliage.

Perfect pair

Murraya hedge with an Olive feature.

Tips for planting

Trim regularly.

Warm-climate fire hedge.

Shop Murraya paniculata

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