Chamerion angustifolium, sometimes housed scientifically under genus Epilobium is an abundant wildflower in the northwest quarter or so of North America, and probably elsewhere. I bring it up here because it is, to many people, a plant with excellent qualities, including edible ones. As I post, I am fixing a Korean-style noodle soup including the new spring sprouts of fireweed, which grows in fantastic quantities in my south Alaska area. These sprouts appear in May, are cabernet-red spikes, and excellent edibles at about 3-4 cm in height. Alas, that stage only lasts a couple of weeks or so. But these things are great cooked (they turn green when cooked) or raw in salads, where they have a mild lemony/asparagusy flavor.
Once they get taller, they get tough and stringy, but are never harmful. They grow into quite tall plants, reaching five or six feet sometimes, with large, dark green strap-like leaves. The latter are useful as excellent mulch for garden plants, which I use abundantly every year. And the showy red-purple flowers, which come out in July and August, are also good. The petals are very tin and flavorless, but nutritious and spectacular sprinkled on top of salads.
It's an unmistakable plant (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamerion_angustifolium) and worthy of attention for any gardener/foodie in the region where it grows.
caw
Once they get taller, they get tough and stringy, but are never harmful. They grow into quite tall plants, reaching five or six feet sometimes, with large, dark green strap-like leaves. The latter are useful as excellent mulch for garden plants, which I use abundantly every year. And the showy red-purple flowers, which come out in July and August, are also good. The petals are very tin and flavorless, but nutritious and spectacular sprinkled on top of salads.
It's an unmistakable plant (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chamerion_angustifolium) and worthy of attention for any gardener/foodie in the region where it grows.
caw
