Onagraceae

Chamerion angustifolium

Fireweed

Stems erect, unbranched, usually reddish, with short stiff hairs on upper part. Leaves numerous, alternate, lance-shaped, 2–8 in. long; petioles short. Inflorescence is a dense spike with small leaf-like bracts. Flower buds hang down; open flowers face outward around stem; petals deep pink to magenta, 3/4–1 in. long, with rounded tip; sepals between petals same color, 1/2 as long; pollen noticeably gray. Grows in open or disturbed sites, especially recent burns in meadows, clearcuts, mixed forests, from sea level to subalpine. Subsp. circumvagum is less than 12 in. tall, with distinctive leaf veins.

• Rarity: Common
• Flowering Time: All Summer
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Height: 2--5 feet
• Habitat: Disturbed, Meadow, West-Side Forest, East-Side Forest
• Found In: Olympic Np, Mt. Rainier Np, N Cascades Np
• Native: Yes