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Chamaenerion angustifolium, commonly known as Fireweed, is a member of the willowherb or evening primrose family, Onagraceae. The name fireweed comes from its ability to colonize and highly populate areas that have been recently burnt by fires. "It is the official floral emblem of the Yukon!

In England, the species is called rosebay willowherb, but is also known informally as bombweed, since it was often the first flower to appear in blast craters after German air raids during World War II. “London, paradoxically, is the gayest where she has been most blitzed,” wrote one American journalist in 1944. “The wounds made this summer by flying bombs are, of course, still raw and bare, but cellars and courts shattered into rubble by the German raids of 1940–41 have been taken over by an army of weeds which have turned them into wild gardens."

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Chamaenerion angustifolium, or Fireweed, is a perennial herb with a widespread rhizome-like root. Its stems are erect and stand between 1-3m tall, and have fine, minute hairs in the inflorescence and on the ovaries. They can have a reddish tint. Fireweed has finely toothed, green, veiny, long leaves, approximately 20cm long, that grow in an alternate pattern. The flowers of Fireweed grow along the main stem, and their colour varies from pink to magenta. Each flower sports four spoon-shaped petals with notches on their ends, and four sepals behind that are seen through their gaps. Fireweed, as well, has eight stamens, carrying dark rusty red coloured pollen and a single central anther.

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Fireweed is hardy! It flowers between June and September. Seeds have silky hairs at each end, and each individual fireweed plant can produce up to 80,000 seeds. The silky fluff produced by the fireweed plant allows it to travel easily and spread its seeds over long distances from its parent plant. Fireweed can also be harvested throughout the year, apart from the winter months. Spring is the optimal time, as the younger shoots of the plant are sweet and soft. Leaves can be picked throughout the year, up until the first frost.

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Fireweed is a powerful plant and naturally colonizes areas disturbed by natural events, such as landslides, avalanches, and fires. As well, areas disturbed by logging, surface mining, and oil rigging. Fireweed is, in a way, healing to the soil. Its rhizomes and seeds reach deep within the soil and pull minerals up from the earth. This makes fireweed a valuable tool within regenerative agriculture; however, it can easily be a nuisance to farmers. As we have discussed, fireweed is a highly prolific self-pollinator. It grows aggressively, and controlling its spread can be quite challenging. It is a common problem for those working their land, as it, again, thrives in disturbed soil. Suppression is your most likely attempt at controlling its spread. Weeding, digging, tilling, and mowing can all assist the plant in spreading its seeds, but can be done successfully when done before fluffy seeds present themselves, and with care not to disturb the roots of the plants. Grazing animals are a wonderful tool for controlling fireweed with careful timing. Herbicides are also an option for controlling fireweed. Commonly used: Glyphosate and Triclopyr. Consider that these herbicides can impact the growth of legumes, and need to be applied between fall and winter for greater effectiveness. Fireweed is also an important flower for pollinators.

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https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/eflora_NewFullMap/index.html?sciname=Chamaenerion%20angustifolium&BCStatus=yellow&synonyms=%27Epilobium%20angustifolium%27&commonname=fireweed&PhotoID=521&mapservice=Vascular

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Fireweed is known to be a sign of hope, though sometimes a nuisance, it is also recognized as a symbol of an ecosystem recovering following a great disturbance. With British Columbia experiencing ravaging forest fires, the sight of fireweed growing is promising. Fireweed also carries the potential to attract animals, is desirable to pollinators, and is a staple in the diet of many grazing animals like elk and moose. What may be particularly noteworthy to farmers in that in 2020, the Sandown gates, which include Fireweed Farm, a farm and school in North Saanich, BC, on the traditional lands of Tseycum First Nation. It was opened, and the land was renewed by fireweed itself. Its regenerative properties allowed that land to be utilized.

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Fireweed can be grown with intention. Fireweed jelly, jams, syrups, honey, and beverages are commonly consumed in the Northern regions of British Columbia. Fireweed has been said to help with inflammation in the body, fevers, and more. It is particularly high in vitamins A and C. Fireweed honey has a particularly rich and spicy flavour, and jelly, jams, and syrups are enjoyable. Indigenous people have long used fireweed as a food source, medicine (often poultices), and a substitute for tobacco. Worth noting is that fireweed increases the risk of blood clotting.

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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fireweed-hope-amid-bc-worst-wildfire-summer-on-record-1.6928837

https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Epilobium%20angustifolium

https://www.bcoutdoorsmagazine.com/foraging-for-fireweed/

https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/crop-management/fireweed.html#:~:text=History%20And%20Use,important%20in%20the%20honey%20business.

https://fireweedfarms.ca/the-farm-1#:~:text=Regenerating%20the%20Land,the%20land's%20beauty%20and%20vitality.

https://forums.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/threads/advice-on-getting-rid-of-fireweed.72995/

https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/forb/chaang/all.html

https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/chamerion_angustifolium.shtml

https://www.colorado.edu/cumuseum/2020/09/09/fireweed

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How fireweed offers hope amid hottest summer on record | CBC News

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“If you’re seeing it in large abundance, that is the first sign of ecosystem recovery following a disturbance like a fire,” said professor of forest ecology Lori Daniels.