"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
)