Fire risk is high in Wildland-Urban Interfaces (WUI) and WUI fires, burning the surrounding ornamental vegetation, are often transmitted to structures. Thus, to be able to use fire-wise species in such locations, the assessment and ranking of the flammability of ornamental plant species are required. The flammability of seven species, among those most frequently planted in hedges in SE France, was studied, under laboratory conditions, at two levels: live leaf and litter. Leaf characteristics (FMC, mass, surface, volume, S/V ratio) were measured and the flammability parameters (ignition frequency, time-to-ignition, flaming duration) were recorded using an epiradiator as burning device. The Gross Heat of Combustion (GHC) was measured by calorimetry. The flammability parameters (ignition frequency, time-to-ignition, flaming duration and initial flame propagation) as well as the bulk density of the undisturbed litter samples were recorded during burning experiments performed on a fire bench. Regarding live leaves, burning experiments showed that Phyllostachys sp. and Photinia fraseri had higher ignitability (along with Pyracantha coccinea) and sustainability and were characterized by low FMC whereas Pittosporum tobira and Nerium oleander had lower ignitability and were characterized by high GHC. Prunus laurocerasus and Cupressus sempervirens had lower sustainability and were characterized by low S/V ratio. Regarding litters, Cupressus sempervirens and Pyracantha coccinea (high proportions of scale-leaves and/or fine particles and high bulk density) presented higher sustainability, ignitability (high ignition frequency), along with Photinia fraseri, and lowest combustibility (low flame propagation) along with Pittosporum tobira. The latter, characterized by high proportions of debris, coarse particles and evergreen leaves, was the least ignitable (high time-to-ignition) along with litters of Pyracantha coccinea and Nerium oleander, and had lower sustainability along with those of Phyllostachys sp. and Nerium. Litters of Prunus laurocerasus, Photinia fraseri and Phyllostachys had better combustibility (high proportions of debris) and the latter was also quick to ignite. Hierarchical cluster analysis performed on the flammability parameters recorded during both types of experiments ranked the seven species in four distinct clusters from the most flammable (Phyllostachys sp. and Photinia fraseri) to the least flammable (Pittosporum tobira and Nerium oleander); the other species displaying two groups of intermediate flammabilities (Prunus laurocerasus-Pyracantha coccinea and Cupressus sempervirens ). Further flammability experiments on the whole plant are needed and the highly flammable species should not be used in hedges planted in WUIs in SE France.