A Fiery Beauty
Common Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium formally included within Epilobium as E. angustifolium and E. latifolium) is a beautiful and easily recognizable mountain wildflower that covers most of the Northern Hemisphere. Despite its widespread tendency, it has become iconic in certain some parts of the world.
In Alaska, it is one of the most recognizable wildflowers and has even had attempts to make it the state flower.
Russia is known for a traditional beverage called Ivan Chai, made from its fermented leaves and dried flowers.
It’s bright magenta flowers stand out when it starts to bloom in late June and early August, signaling the winding down of summer.
One might assume Fireweed gets its name from its bright petals. Its name instead comes from its tendency to be among the first plants to establish in recently burned areas.
It is a great plant for land reclamation after a fire because among other reasons, It does well with taking up nutrients after a fire.
Plant Family
Fireweed comes from the Evening Primrose Family (Onagraceae). This is the same family as Tuft Evening Primrose, another plant I posted about a few months ago.
Key Words: Flower parts usually in fours including a four-lobed stigma
Epel, Botany in a Day
Note the similarities between Tuft Evening Primrose and Fireweed flowers.
Identification description
Description for Chamerion angustifolium from Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Rockies:
“Clumped, perennial herbs with alternate, lance-shaped leaves on erect stems. Flowers pink to rose-purple (rarely white), 4-petaled, with prominent, 4-pronged style, forming show clusters, from June to September. Fruits erect, linear pods, splitting lengthwise to release 100s of fluffy-parachuted seeds.”
“Spreading rootstocks with tall (1-10’ [30-300 cm]) stems…”
“It grows on open, disturbed, foothill, montane and subalpine sites from Alaska to New Mexico.”
Uses
The entire plant of Fireweed is very useful.
The young shoots and leaves of fireweed are edible as a vegetable and are likened to the taste of asparagus. The blossoms are edible as well, and would make a beautiful addition to salads or decoration on a cocktail!
The petals can be used to make a brightly colored jam or jelly, and the leaves and dried petals can be used to make tea as I described above.
The plant is also rich in vitamins A and C.
A Perfect Metaphor
I love that Fireweed has many practical uses but find its symbolism to be much more interesting.
Since Fireweed has a tendency to appear after devastation, I think it is a great metaphor for resilience after what feels like destruction.
It makes sense that this plant has a special significance to many parts of the world.
Have you seen Fireweed? What do you think of this metaphor?
Books Referenced
Botany in a Day by Thomas J. Epel
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