Rosebay Willowherb (Fireweed)

Every herb garden should grow rosebay willowherb (or fireweed as it is also known) for a splash of colour and a buzz of bees.

Where woodlands are cleared, buildings fall and fire scorches the earth, so rosebay willowherb will rise like a phoenix from the ashes. This exciting plant also makes a bold wild edible.

Scientific name

Epilobium angustifolium

Family

Onagraceae.

Botanical description

Tall spikes of purple-red flowers amongst elongated, spear-shaped green leaves characterise this striking plant. The dramatic foliage takes over open ground turning entire landscapes ablaze.

The creeping root structure aids the plant to spread over large patches of ground and the small seed pods hold an abundance of seeds attached to white, fluffy puffs dispersed by the wind.

Status

Perennial. Native.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland, coniferous woodland, cultivated land, dunes & dune slacks, heath, moor, mountain rocks, mountains, riverbanks, roadsides, scrub and walls.

Parts used for food

Leaves, shoots, stem, flowers.

Harvest time

Spring: Leaves, shoots, root.
Summer: Stem, flowers.

Food uses of rosebay willowherb

For centuries in Russia, rosebay willowherb was fermented to make herbal tea, nicknamed ‘Ivan Chai’ in Britain and Europe. It was eventually replaced by the black and green teas from India and China but is still drunk in some parts of Russia.²

The flavour of this fiery-looking plant has been described as mildly sweet like a cucumber or asparagus.³ The shoots can be cooked like asparagus.⁴ The leaves and stem can be lightly boiled or steamed like spinach.³

Nutritional profile

Rosebay willowherb has ninety times more vitamin A and four times more vitamin C than oranges.⁵

Herbal medicine uses

Few records exist of the herb’s use in folk medicine in Britain, but it was used in Europe and America, especially for skin complaints, whooping cough in children, asthma and stomach disorders.⁴

In modern herbals, its properties are often listed as astringent, antidiarrhoeic, demulcent (soothing and anti-inflammatory), haemostatic (stops bleeding) and mildly antimicrobial.⁷

Other uses

Fireweed is such as a good source of nectar that US beekeepers sometimes follow loggers with their hives.⁴ Fireweed honey is said to be light-coloured and finely flavoured.⁸

Safety Note

The plant’s tannins might aggravate constipation, gastric ulcers, inflammatory conditions and anaemia.⁹ Consult your health advisor before use.

There is little information about the plant’s safety during pregnancy and when breastfeeding.

References