Fireweed
November 2, 2022
By Adam Huggins
Fireweed
Chamerion angustifolium
- Hul’qumi’num Name: lulutthulp
- Description: Perennial from rhizome-like roots gives rise to a leafy, unbranched stem and a terminal raceme of spectacular rose to purple flowers. Grows 80cm to up to 3m tall.
- Habitat: Moist to dry disturbed areas, meadows, thickets, and riverbanks.
- Harvest: New shoots in May; leaves from June onwards. Mature stalks for cordage.
- Edibility: The cooked shoots are a tasty spring vegetable. Roots are used in herbal remedies.
- Fun Fact: Fireweed is a famous fire-follower, growing en-masse in recently burned areas or other sites of disturbance