Chamerion angustifolium (Fireweed)

Chamerion angustifolium

Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub

Fireweed

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Myrtales	Includes myrtles, leadwoods, loosestrifes, pomegranates, evening primroses, many others
Family	Onagraceae	Willowherb/evening primrose family
Genus	Chamerion	From the Greek chamai, “dwarf,” and nerion, “oleander,” this is apparently a name that has replaced the invalid name Chamaenerion published by Seguier in 1754
Species	angustifolium	Having narrow foliage

About plant names...

Fireweed is a North American native plant. It is a robust colonizer of newly exposed land, such as that left behind from forest fires, and can carpet huge areas with its brilliant pink flowers.

Identification: Plants reach 20-98" (50-250 cm) in height, with a single, erect stem that reddens later in the season, sometimes branching to multiple flower spikes. Spikes are 4-10" (10-25 cm) long, with pink flowers about ½" (1.3 cm) in diameter, each with four petals. Leaves have smooth edges, and are long and narrow, tapering to sharp tips. The leaf veins form distinctive circular loops. Seed pods are reddish-brown, about 1½" (3.8 cm) long, splitting and curling when dry to expose silken fibers and about 80,000 seeds per plant.

Edibility: Although young shoots and flowers are edible, young plants are easily confused with several highly toxic members of the lily family, so we don’t recommend that you experiment.

Online References:

Chamerion angustifolium at Illinois Wildflowers

Chamerion angustifolium at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Chamerion angustifolium on troymullens.wordpress.com

Chamerion angustifolium on Wikipedia

Chamerion angustifolium on the USDA Forest Service's Fire Effects Information Database

Chamerion angustifolium on SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network

8/26/2007 · Fogarty Creek, Lincoln City, OR
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm) ID is uncertain

9/27/2013 · Gordon and Kathy’s, Prospect, ME
≈ 19 × 12" (47 × 31 cm)

8/16/2014 · White Mountains, NH
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 21 cm)

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, ME
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm) ID is uncertain

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, ME
≈ 21 × 24" (52 × 62 cm) ID is uncertain

9/1/2007 · Mt. St. Helens, WA
≈ 17 × 12" (44 × 29 cm)

8/2/2008 · Bar Harbor, ME
≈ 9 × 6" (22 × 14 cm)

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, ME
≈ 9 × 14" (23 × 35 cm) ID is uncertain

Chamerion angustifolium description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, ME
≈ 5 × 3½" (13 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain

8/16/2014 · White Mountains, NH
≈ 4 × 4" (10 × 10 cm)

8/25/2007 · Tillamook State Forest, OR
≈ 12 × 8" (29 × 19 cm) ID is uncertain

8/16/2014 · White Mountains, NH
≈ 10 × 15" (25 × 37 cm)

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, ME
≈ 6 × 9" (15 × 23 cm) ID is uncertain

8/16/2014 · White Mountains, NH
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 21 cm)

8/16/2014 · White Mountains, NH
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 12 cm)

9/2/2007 · OR
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

9/20/2009 · Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME
≈ 7 × 10" (17 × 26 cm)

7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, ME
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain

9/20/2009 · Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, ME
≈ 10 × 14" (26 × 34 cm)

9/27/2013 · Gordon and Kathy’s, Prospect, ME
≈ 11 × 7" (28 × 18 cm)

Range:

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