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
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.
Plants: 1½-8′ (50-250 cm) in height, with
a single, erect stem that reddens later in the season, sometimes branching to multiple flower spikes.
Leaves: Leaves are 2½-6″ (7-15 cm) long, with smooth edges, and are long and narrow, tapering to sharp tips. The leaf veins form distinctive
circular loops.
Flowers: Flower spikes
are 4-10″ (10-25 cm) long, with pink flowers about ½″ (1.3 cm) in diameter, each with four petals.
Fruits: 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.
Fireweed has a dwarf sibling with similar-appearing flowers:
8/26/2007 · Fogarty Creek, Lincoln City, Oregon
9/27/2013 · Gordon and Kathy’s, Prospect, Maine · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (47 × 31 cm)
8/16/2014 · White Mountains, New Hampshire · ≈ 12 × 8″ (31 × 21 cm)
1½-8′ (50-250 cm) in height, with a single, erect stem that reddens later in the season, sometimes branching to multiple flower spikes.
Flowers
Flower spikes are 4-10″ (10-25 cm) long, with pink flowers about ½″ (1.3 cm) in diameter, each with four petals.
Leaves
2½-6″ (7-15 cm) long, with smooth edges, and are long and narrow, tapering to sharp tips. The leaf veins form distinctive circular loops.
Fruit
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.
Range/ Zones
USDA Zones: 2-7
Habitats
Newly exposed land,
such as that left behind from forest fires
Type
Wild
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.