Your landscape can provide more than just a pretty view. Depending on the plants you choose, your landscape can also be fire fighting, drought tolerant, and insect resistant. Following are just a few of the species of plants that can help you accomplish each of these functions.

Fire Resistant
There are many plants, trees and shrubs that actually store their own water, which allows them to resist burning. While this is not by any means a complete listing, it will at least get you started.

Ground Covers / Perennials - your first line of defense!
* African Daisy * Coreopsis * Yarrow * Rock Rose * Ice Plant * Statice * Lily of the Nile * Century Plant * Mock Strawberry	* Myoporum * Aloe * Silver Mound * Ivy * Creeping Rosemary * Lantana * Day Lily * California Poppy * Dwarf Periwinkle
Shrubs
* Mock Orange * Oleander * California Lilac * Hummingbird Flower	* Mexican Bush Sage * Pomegranate * Texas Privet * Sugar Bush
Trees
* Strawberry Tree * Chinese Pistache	* Carob Tree * African Sumac

Plants to beware of, that tend to be highly flammable, are ones that produce oils such as: Cypress, Juniper, Sugar Gum, Bamboo, Coyote Bush.

Drought Resistant
Drought resistant plants are considered “water-conservers”, meaning they have ways of reducing water loss. Usually this is by means of physical structure. Their leaves may be small, gray-colored, leathery, or arranged to reduce the amount of sunlight that strikes them, allowing them to retain their moisture content. Many plants from desert and Mediterranean climates are of this type. Following are some choices that do well in our area:

Annuals / Bulbs / Perennials
* Lavendar species * Euryops * Iris, Bearded	* Narcissus * Portulaca * Tree Aloe
Shrubs / Vines
* Artemesia * Lantana * Rose of Sharon	* Bougainvillea * Shrub Rosemary * Wisteria
Trees
* Mediterranean Fan Palm * Melaleuca * Mexican Blue Palm * Eucalyptus * Goldenrain Tree	* Fig (edible) * Brisbane Box Tree * Deodar Cedar * Cypress * Aleppo Pine
There are many more species of plants and trees that can tolerate our drought ridden region. A great resource for learning more about plants/trees is the Western Garden Book from Sunset. It’s an invaluable reference tool.

---

CAUTIOM: Rattlesnake Season
San Diego is an outdoor paradise. However, even in Paradise you may find a few serpents - literally!! San Diego is home to no less than six types of rattlesnakes:

• Southern Pacific Rattlesnake:
  Found in coastal areas of Southern California.
  
  
• Western Diamondback Rattlesnake:
  Found in the southeastern part of Southern California, especially eastern San Diego.
  
  
• Red Diamond Rattlesnake:
  Has a limited range and is found primarily in coastal and mesa areas of San Diego County.
  
  
• Speckled Rattlesnake:
  Found on the western and eastern slopes of Southern California mountain ranges and in the southeast, desert part of the state.
  
  
• Sidewinder:
  Found throughout the desert regions.
  
  
• Mojave Rattlesnake:
  This snake is limited to the high desert terrain of the Mojave Desert.

Be Cautious.
All of So Cal. is rattlesnake territory, so it pays to be cautious whenever you venture outdoors. The most important thing to remember if you encounter a rattlesnake is to leave it alone! Most snakebites happen because people try to pick the snake up or want to get a closer look. This triggers the snake’s basic self defense mechanism to bite. Leave it alone - and it will leave you alone. Other things to keep in mind: never place your hands where you cannot see them (brush piles, gopher holes). When hiking, wear good boots and long pants. Don’t walk barefoot after dark, as this is when rattlesnakes are out hunting their prey.

Common Symptoms if Bitten:
Fang marks; pain, swelling and discoloration in the bitten area; tingling around the mouth; nausea and vomiting; weakness and dizziness; sweating and / or chills.

First Aid Treatment.
Your first and only priority is to get medical help as soon as possible. Most self administered first-aid treatments (making incisions or using tourniquets) are usually ineffective and can be dangerous.

Get Medical Help!!