Chamaenerion angustifolium (Fireweed)
Fireweed is a tall, perennial herb known for its vibrant pink-purple flowers and its ability to quickly colonize disturbed areas, such as burned or logged forests. Ecologically, fireweed plays a critical role in soil stabilization and succession, preparing the ground for other plants to establish. It thrives in open meadows, forest edges, roadsides, and recently disturbed sites
Key identifying features include tall, reddish stems and narrow, lance-shaped leaves arranged in an alternating pattern. Its showy, pink to purple flowers grow in elongated clusters at the top of the plant, and its seedpods produce fluffy, white fibers that aid in wind dispersal.
Fireweed has been an important plant for Indigenous peoples, valued for both food and medicine. Young shoots were eaten raw or steamed as a spring vegetable, while leaves were brewed into teas rich in nutrients and believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. The flowers and roots were sometimes used to make salves for skin irritations or wounds. Its fibrous stems were also used to create cordage and textiles.