Fireweed, Chamerion angustifolium (L.) [Epilobium angustifolium], Native Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden, Great Willow Herb

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Fireweed	Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub [ OLD = Epilobium angustifolium]	Evening Primrose (Onagraceae)	Upland	Early to Late Summer
Other names and notes	(Great Willow Herb). A four to six foot tall plant with conspicuous one inch magenta flowers that are on a slender raceme. They open from bottom to top and as flowers near the top are opening, seed pods are forming under them. Leaves are alternate and resemble willow leaves hence the alternate common name of Great Willow Herb. This is a plant whose seeds are long-lived and frequently appears after an area is burned over, hence the name. It is usually found in the Upland Garden near the path edges. More details in the lore section below. Botanists have recently tended to reclassify the fireweed plants (plants with large magenta flowers) into the Chamerion genus.



Above right and left: Fireweed blooms of mid to late July. Bloom can begin in late May; the color can vary depending on amount of direct sunlight. Note in the right hand photo how the seed pods form immediately after the flower fades, which flowers continue to open above, with flower buds forming at the top of the spike.
Left below: Leaf structure. Right below: The unique identifying part of the plant is the leaf vein system where the lateral veins do not reach the edge of the leaf but instead join an outer margin loop vein.

Below left: A tangle of Fireweed multiple stems with seed pods opening. Below right: Detail of a split open mature seed pod showing the silky hair attached to each seed which lofts the seed into the air.

Notes: Eloise Butler's records show that she obtained plants of this species from Malden, Mass. on Sept. 4th, 1909, from Gillett's Nursery, Southwick MN on April 29, 1912 and again on Sept. 15, 1924 from Hillman, MN in "the vicinity of Sullivan Lake". In 1908 she brought back in her suitcase bunches of it which she foraged in the wilds of Mackay Ontario while waiting for the disabled train she was riding on to be repaired. Her records also show that she planted seeds of this species on Oct. 1, 1925. On July 24, 1933 Martha Crone, as the new temporary curator of the Garden, planted a specimen obtained in Anoka, MN. Gertrude Cram sent seedlings of the plant to Martha Crone in August 1934. She collected these on Isle Royal. Mrs. Cram noted to Martha that "Miss Butler said nothing would ever induce it to grow for her but I thought you might like to make another attempt."(Letter to Martha Crone posted from Isle Royal, August 1934). Native to about two thirds of the state north and east of a diagonal line from Winona County in the SE to Polk in the NW with several metro counties excepted. Click for lore and more information -

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References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

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