Significance of Fireweed in ANWR
"There are certain plants that do very well in disturbed places
such as roadsides, riverbanks and recently burned areas. Epilobium
angustifolium, more commonly called fireweed, is one
of these invader type plants. Fireweed earned its name because the plant
can easily spread over an area in the years following a burn. It is a deep
rooted plant and although the above-ground part of the plant is burned during
a fire, it easily resprouts from the undamaged roots. Combine these deep
roots with wind borne fluffy seeds and the fireweed becomes an ideal invader
plant.
Fireweed plants can grow up to 8 feet tall in some areas.
They have showy 4 petal flowers that can range from white to pale purple to
the more common magenta color. The flowers are on a long stalk with the lowest
ones opening first. They can start to bloom in early July and can continue
blooming into August. When I first moved to McGrath, I was told that when
the last flower opens at the top of the stalk, summer in interior Alaska
is officially over.
Fireweed isn't just another pretty flower, though. There are
dozens of fireweed related species and all of them, including the more common
fireweed, are edible. In the spring the red colored asparagus-like stalks
are excellent either raw, steamed or stir fried. The young tender leaves
and unopened flower buds are a nice addition to any salad. As the fireweed
matures in the summer, the stem can be split and the sweet inner marrow can
be eaten. Fireweed jelly made from the flowers isn't just beautiful but
is also very good tasting.
Fireweed also has many medicinal features. Fireweed tea can
be used to help with an upset stomach or constipation. Fireweed has also
traditionally been used for asthma, coughs, piles, and infected insect bites,
as well as cuts and scratches. Even the seeds have been found to have other
uses. They make good fire starters and in the past have even been mixed into
wool for weaving blankets.
For Alaska Naturally and the Innoko National Wildlife Refuge,
this is Beverly Skinner. As with most plants, fireweed has many different
common names. What I call fireweed others might call blooming sally, wild
asparagus or willow weed due to the long willow like leaves. That is one
reason why scientists around the world use Latin genus and species names
to describe living things. Epilobium angustifolium or fireweed
is a strikingly beautiful addition to interior Alaska during our short summers."
(Directly quoted from this website: http://www.r7.fws.gov/nwr/arctic/firewdra.html
)