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Show MOUNTAIN SPECIES OF THE TIMES MONTH FIREWEED By Pamela Mills Poulson Manager of Environmental Education Red Butte Garden and Arboretum neering plants to return to burnedover, clear-cut or otherwise disturbed areas. Its graceful spikes of magenta flowers number in the . some burnt land, which extended three or four miles at least . an exceedingly wild and desolate region. Judging by the weeds and sprouts, it appeared to have been burnt about two years before... and there were great fields of fireweed on all sides, the most thousands within two years of disturbance. The simple reason is that fireweed seeds require the warmth of sun to germinate and will remain dor- extensive I ever saw, overlying shade is taken away. Making the best of a bad situation, Oregon and which presented great masses of pink.” — Henry David Thoreau, The Allegash and East Branch, 1857. flower in the world. “Great masses of pink” are common throughout the northern hemisphere. The range and distribution of fireweed spans such an enormous geography, that it has been given many common names in many languages. From New Brunswick (Siberian flax) to North Carolina (Purple Racket). From Great Britain (Rosebay willowherb) (Blooming Sally) to and Ireland Yellowstone Park (Fireweed), the plant is known by hundreds of common names, with several in Maine alone: Bay Willow, Burnt Weed, Firetop, Wickup and Moose tongue. Although fireweed, as we call it along the Wasatch, is known by many names across the globe, only one scientific name describes it: Epilobium (epi=on, lobon=capsule) angustifolium (angust=narrow, folia=foliage), a flower sits on the capsule, surrounded by narrow leaved foliage. Fireweed is a member of the Onagraceae family and is closely related to night-blooming, evening primroses. weed Regardless of what it is called, firefills a specific niche in fire ecol- ogy. Fireweed is one of the first pio- too. t (> i Me ages <a mant in the soil until the Washington ireweed, the blazingly brilliant flower described by Thoreau, is probably the most widely known wild- and fall, the animals begin to eat the tender fireweed flowers. Fireweed is palatable to humans, I WAV a clear-cut areas, a valuable — where plant — is more abundant. out . = late summer stems me eS were > oe inflammation from a sore. The fibrous threads of * fire- honey used as soap, and the entire plant was used to make a poultice to draw (SS NY e Pe every 5 to 7 years to newer weed pith. The root was \QVSES \e 5 RS) f( beekeepers follow logging operations, moving their beehives Native Americans ate the shoots and leaves as well as the stem, which contains a small treat of sweet gelatinous woven into fish nets. 7 : Late bloom- When flying into Alaska the abundance of hardy fireweed on the ground appears as solid miles of magenta and makes one wonder why this ubiquitous Alaskan was not named the state’s flower, rather than the humble and obscure Forget-me-not. Indeed, fireweed is common and healthy in the natural realm. Fireweed can be seen invading disturbed, clear-cut or burned-over land — a troop of magenta pioneers, nursing and repairing hurts and wounds of the Earth “There is a brilliant rose-purple plant that the Londoners call rose-bay willow herb. Americans call it fireweed because it blazes wherever a forest fire has raged. It will not grow in the shade, but there is little shade as yet in the London ruins. It likes potash, and the ruins are full of wood ash. It sweeps across this pock-marked city and turns what might have been scars into flaming beauty. You see it everywhere — great meadows of it in Lambeth, where of it solid tracts were blitzed; waves about St. Paul's. Behind Westminster Abbey bits of it are high up where second story fireplaces still cling to the hanging walls.” —Lewis Gannett, New York Herald Tribune, July 25, 1944 Following a domi= Seer ing fireweed is nance of 7 to 10 years, fire=~. c common and weed is replaced through / = abundant in the natural succession by } northern hemishrubs, trees and other sphere. Its brilliant wildflowers. magenta flowers Fireweed is drought tolerant and is mark midsummer. Its exploding seed a prolific reproducer. Once fertilized, capsules warn of summer’s end and its the ovary matures to seed capsule reddening leaves add a special touch quickly, while the same stem continues to fall color change. to bloom. The dry capsule explodes into four equal valves and catapults tiny, tufted seeds into the wind Viability of seeds is low, but the great numbers of seeds produced assures successful propagation. Ss are relished by small mammals, while the leaves, stems and flowers are devoured by deer and moose. Fireweed is fairly palatable to cattle and sheep, and because of its abundance late in the growing season, it is the most valuable wild perennial grazing plant in western North America. Grazers eat leaves and stems — in early summer, but as the stems and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich promised "a new environleaves become fibrous in late summer mentalism," but his GOP Environmental Task Force's "vision EARTH TO NEWT! statement" is loaded with code words from the "Wise use" movement. The 104th Congress passed a "salvage" logging bill to gut the national forests at taxpayer expense. And the new grazing "reform" bill gives welfare ranchers control of the public lands. Regulatory "reform" was written by lobbyists for polluters. Fireweed: Epilobium angustifolium Also Known tongue, As: Pigweed, Willowherb, Wickup, Blooming Sally, Firetop, Moose Purple Rocket. Description: Handsome The Republican-controlled Congress attacked our national parks and wilderness areas, and tried to weaken efforts to save America's endangered species. This isn't what most Republicans want! herbaceous perennial growing to 8 feet tall in prime conditions. Purplish stem and brilliant, magenta arranged in a cross. Stigma white and four lobed. flowers with four petals Republicans for Environmental Protection was created to keep alive the GOP tradition of conservation begun by President Teddy Roosevelt. REP is already in 42 states-- a Utah chapter has started and we invite you to join us! Blooming Period: From July to September. Range: Across northern hemisphere, as far south as Georgia, to 10,000 feet elevation. REI Habitat: Moist, open sunny areas that have been burned over or disturbed. Edibility: Young shoots and green seed pods can be cooked and eaten as a potherb by humans. P.O. Box 7073 / Deerfield, IL 60015 Phone: 847-940-0320 E-mail: MarREP@aol.com Cultural Notes: Available only by seed collection and germination. Grows vigorously in captivity, becoming weedy and easily overwhelming a tidy yard. Must be constantly controlled. PAGE Republicans for Environmental Protection 17 |