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Onagraceae
Chamaenerion

Chamaenerion angustifolium (Linnaeus) Scopoli ssp. circumvagum (Mosquin) Moldenke. Common name: Great Willow-herb, Fireweed. Phenology: Jun-Sep. Habitat: Grassy balds, roadsides, montane fields, burned areas, disturbed areas. Distribution: Circumboreal, extending south in North America to NJ, montane w. NC and ne. TN, n. IN, MN, SD, AZ, NM, and CA.

Glossary (beta!)

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Chamaenerion angustifolium (in the broad sense) has a circumboreal distribution; it is composed of several related taxa that differ in chromosome number, a variety of morphological characters, and distribution. The tetraploid 'entity' is generally more southern, extending south in North America to NJ, montane w. NC and ne. TN, n. IN, MN, SD, AZ, NM, and CA; it has been variously treated at varietal, subspecific, and species rank (and under various generic names) as separate from Chamaenerion angustifolium sensu stricto. The diploid 'entity' is arctic and boreal, extending south in North America to NB, QC, ON, alpine WY, and BC. We here (relatively arbitrarily) employ subspecific rank for the tetraploid entity.

Synonymy ⓘ: = FNA10, K4, NY; = Chamaenerion danielsii (D.Löve) Czerep.; = Chamaenerion exaltatum Rydb.; = Chamaerion angustifolium ssp. circumvagum — Tn, misspelled; = Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub ssp. circumvagum (Mosquin) Kartesz — GrPl, NE, Wagner, Hoch, & Raven (2007); = Chamerion platyphyllum (Daniels) Á.Löve & D.Löve — Va; = Epilobium angustifolium L. ssp. circumvagum Mosquin — Mosquin (1966); = Epilobium angustifolium L. var. canescens Alph.Wood — C; = Epilobium angustifolium L. var. platyphyllum (Daniels) Fernald — F; < Chamaenerion angustifolium (L.) Scop. — S, S13; < Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub — Il, Mi, Holub (1972); < Epilobium angustifolium L. — G, GW2, Pa, RAB, Tat, W, WV; >< Epilobium angustifolium L. var. angustifolium — F, Munz (1965); > Epilobium angustifolium L. var. macrophyllum (Hausskn.) Fernald — F. Basionym: Epilobium angustifolium L. ssp. circumvagum Mosquin 1966

Links to other floras: = Chamaenerion angustifolium ssp. circumvagum - FNA10

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Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image of plant© Alan Cressler: epilobium angustifolium, forest service road 1130, mt. baker-snoqualmie national forest, whatcom county, washington 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© J.W. Hardin | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© J.W. Hardin | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© J.W. Hardin | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial found in grassy balds, mmountain fields, burned areas and roadsides.

Stems: Stems arising from a somewhat woody crown, very leafy, unbranched, smooth below the inflorescence.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, crowded, sessile, lance-shaped to elliptic, 2-8 in. long, slightly toothed or wavy, paler beneath.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers ascending to horizontal in a terminal raceme, blooming from the bottom up; pinkish-purple, 3/4-1 in. wide, consisting of 4 spoon-shaped petals alternating with 4 narrow darker-pink and shorter sepals, 8 white stamens with purple-brown tips and a white style divided at the tip into 4 curled stigmas. The slender purplish ovary below the flower resembles the short flower stalk.

Fruits: Fruit an erect, purplish-red, slender pod containing white-tufted seeds.

Comments: An individual plant can have seed pods at the bottom, blooming flowers in the middle and unopened buds at the top, simultaneously.

Height: 2-8 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial found in grassy balds, mmountain fields, burned areas and roadsides.

stems: Stems arising from a somewhat woody crown, very leafy, unbranched, smooth below the inflorescence.

leaves: Leaves alternate, crowded, sessile, lance-shaped to elliptic, 2-8 in. long, slightly toothed or wavy, paler beneath.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers ascending to horizontal in a terminal raceme, blooming from the bottom up; pinkish-purple, 3/4-1 in. wide, consisting of 4 spoon-shaped petals alternating with 4 narrow darker-pink and shorter sepals, 8 white stamens with purple-brown tips and a white style divided at the tip into 4 curled stigmas. The slender purplish ovary below the flower resembles the short flower stalk.

fruits: Fruit an erect, purplish-red, slender pod containing white-tufted seeds.

comments: An individual plant can have seed pods at the bottom, blooming flowers in the middle and unopened buds at the top, simultaneously.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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