Leaf
Alain Bigou, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Rosebay willowherb
Epilobium angustifolium L.
Also known as: Fireweed
Family: Onagraceae
1 to 1.5 m tall
Forest clearings, wasteland, burnt ground
Flowering: July – September
Full sun
Part shade
Very hardy, to -35°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
One of the first plants to recolonise burnt or cleared ground, in huge pink colonies.
🍃 Leaves
Long, narrow, lanceolate, alternate in a spiral
🌸 Flowers
Bright pink, four petals, in a long erect spike
🍎 Fruits
Long capsules releasing seeds with a silky pappus
🪵 Bark
Sturdy, erect herbaceous stem
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, temperate Asia, North America; common in clearings, wasteland and forest felling sites in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Long pink spikes very rich in nectar, among the plants most visited by bees and bumblebees in summer.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Back of the border, naturalistic gardens; spreads rapidly by rhizomes, to be contained in a cultivated border.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity, leaves traditionally used as an herbal tea (Ivan tea).
🌿 Other Onagraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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