Table of Contents
- Edible Uses of Fireweed
- Medicinal Uses of Fireweed
- Alternative Uses of Great Willowherb
- Growing Epilobium Angustifolium
Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium syn. Epilobium angustifolium) derives its common name from colonizing the charred sites of wildfires. It’s an edible and medicinal plant that is native to Ontario. I’ll be changing the graphic to Chamaenerion angustifolium for its Latin name soon!
Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) is common along roadsides, in logged bush, and in fire scourged acres here in central Ontario. It gets its name from thriving after forest fires. Some forest fires are natural and necessary for certain plants and wildlife to thrive, like the mottled duskywing butterfly featured in a recent Wood Folk Diary. (Not to be confused with the widespread, drought induced, climate change sort of massive forest fires we’re seeing annually.)
Fireweed could be confused with the invasive purple loosestrife, which you may see on roadsides and more commonly on shores of wetlands. Fireweed is much bigger than most other local willowherbs; however, the flowers look similar to the nonnative hairy fireweed (Epilobium hirsutum syn. Chamaenerion hirsutum). There are other plants called fireweed too.
Edible Uses of Fireweed
The very young leaves and shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. As per usual, they become tough and bitter with age. The edible young flower stalks are asparagus-like. They are best lightly sautéed or steamed.
You can peel old stems and eat the pith. This pith can also be used to thicken stews. And the pith can be dried and boiled, then fermented to make fireweed ale.
Both the clusters of flower buds and the bloomed flowers are edible. In the Yukon, the flowers are traditionally made into a jelly.
For tea, the leaves are harvested around flowering time. The tea is good with honey, perhaps fireweed honey? You can dry the leaves for tea and keep them fresh in a jar, out of sunlight, for about a year.
The scraped or peeled root can be roasted, but is bitter tasting. There is a brown “thread” in the middle that can be removed to reduce the bitterness.
Medicinal Uses of Fireweed
Fireweed is primarily said to support these body systems:
- Digestive
- Integumentary
- Reproductive
- Respiratory
Medicinal tags include Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Astringent and Mucilage. See Medicinal tag key for more information.
Common usage includes astringent and mucilaginous uses for skin. It makes a soothing skin wash or poultice. Due to the same slippery mucilage properties it is used for soothing digestive support for conditions like irritable bowel syndrome.
It may also have use for prostate support, especially for benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Alternative Uses of Great Willowherb
Fibres from the stem can be used for cordage and netting.
The fresh flowers have an oily coating that can be rubbed into rawhide or leather for waterproofing.
The seed fluff can be used for tinder or padding.
Growing Epilobium Angustifolium
Fireweed is easy to start from seed or divisions. It’s a tough plant and rapid spreader, so if you don’t want a large swath of it a container is recommended.
The flowers are visited by many insects including bumblebees. The caterpillars of various hawk and sphinx moths, amoung others, use it as a host plant. Around Haliburton, it’s a primary host plant for bedstraw hawk moth (Hyles gallii) and white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata).
WARNINGS
And the Usual Cautions:
1) Most medicinal herbs, if edible, are meant to be eaten in moderation, even sparingly. Some require extra preparation. Tannins are toxic if consumed in excess. Before taking any new supplements, you should consult with a healthcare professional.
2) A vast amount of these herbs are diuretic. (See the Medicinal tags above to check if this featured herb is one of them!) Diuretics are generally safe, but they can be risky for people with other medical conditions or who take certain medications. Please consult your doctor if you have any health conditions.
3) People can be allergic or sensitive to nearly any plant; try new herbs one at a time at your own risk. For instance, saponins commonly cause stomach upset.
4) For serious medicinal use, I must recommend receiving a diagnosis and working with a reputed health care provider. I generally do not post specific treatments and dosages because I think that is best between you and your health care provider, and ideally monitored.
5) Anyone pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription drugs should talk to a health care professional before adding new food items to their diet.
6) Many plants have look-a-likes, and sometimes they are poisonous.
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REFERENCES
My new favourite foraging book is Sam Thayer’s Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants: of Eastern and Central North America (The Sam Thayer’s Field Guides) Paperback – June 1, 2023 and this plant IS featured as one of the edible wild plants in this area. I highly recommend this guide for your bookshelves!
Chamaenerion angustifolium (Linnaeus) Scopoli – Database of Vascular Plants of Canada (VASCAN)
wiki/Chamaenerion_angustifolium
Edible and Medicinal Plants of Canada
How Indians Use Wild Plants for Food, Medicine & Crafts (Native American)
100 Easy-to-Grow Native Plants for Canadian Gardens
Reader’s Digest Magic and Medicine of Plants
The Earthwise Herbal, Volume II: A Complete Guide to New World Medicinal Plants