Helpful or flammable? Here’s a list

The recent wildfires were a reminder that clearing dried brush and pruning trees can go a long way to reducing the threat at home. So can plant selection. Woody shrubs can fuel a fire, whereas water- storing succulents such as aloe sometimes slow the advancing flames. A sampling of popular plants that can hurt or help:

Highly flammable:

Bougainvillea

California buckwheat

California sagebrush

Eucalyptus

Juniper

New Zealand flax

Pine

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Fire resistant:

Agave

Aloe

Crassula

Manzanita

Oleander

Senecio

Opuntia (prickly pear)

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Sources: Times archives, Sunset Western Garden Book