Epilobium ciliatum Raf.
Northern willowherb, slender willow herb, fringed willowherb, willowherb, American willow-herb
Northern willowherb is named for the lacy tuft of white hairs that surrounds its seeds. It is native throughout most of North America, along with eastern Asia. It also prospers in Eurasia and Australia, where it was introduced as has become naturalized.
Plants: 4–6′ (1.2–1.8 m) in height.
Leaves: Up 6″ (15 cm) long at the base, lanceolate, dark green or reddish, with deep sunken veins.
Flowers: Pink, trumpet-shaped, with four petals, each separated into two lobes. Petals are often darker pink at the edges. Sometimes the flowers are white or cream-colored. They are about 1–4″ (3–10 cm) long.
Fruits: Narrow, hairy, four-chambered capsules up to 4″ (10 cm) long.
Habitats: Sagebrush scrub, pine forests, chaparral, valley grasslands, below 2.5 mi (4.1 km); usually in wetlands.
Each petal has two lobes. 
Online References:
7/30/2025 · Field Estuary, Freeport, Maine · ≈ 7 × 5″ (17 × 13 cm) 
ID is uncertain 
7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, Maine · ≈ 8 × 7″ (19 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain 
1/10/2012 · Tom Paul Trail, Westford, Massachusetts · ≈ 10 × 7″ (24 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain 
11/7/2009 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts ID is uncertain 
7/15/2012 · Fort Point State Park, Stockton Springs, Maine · ≈ 6 × 9″ (16 × 22 cm) ID is uncertain 
7/30/2025 · Field Estuary, Freeport, Maine · ≈ 3 × 2″ (8.5 × 5.6 cm) ID is uncertain 
7/30/2025 · Field Estuary, Freeport, Maine · ≈ 6 × 3½″ (14 × 9.6 cm) ID is uncertain 
7/30/2025 · Field Estuary, Freeport, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 4½″ (9.6 × 11 cm) ID is uncertain 
7/30/2025 · Field Estuary, Freeport, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 3½″ (9.6 × 9.2 cm) ID is uncertain 
9/20/2009 · Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (52 × 34 cm) 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| 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 | Epilobium | From Greek epi, “upon,” and lobos, “a pod or capsule,” because the flower is attached directly to the ovary |
| Species | ciliatum | Name given to indicate a slight fringing like an eyelash that might occur on petals, leaves, petioles or other plant parts |
Epilobium ciliatum description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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