FORAGING GUIDE
Fireweed
Chamerion angustifolium
WORDS LEIGH JOSEPH
ARTWORK VALERIE RAYNARD
Squamish Name: xach’t
Range: Found growing as far north as southern Greenland, through Alaska, and as far south as southern California.
Habitat: Fireweed thrives in disturbed habitats such as old forest fire sites, roadsides, avalanche tracks,
riversides, and clearings.
Parts of Plant Used: New shoots, leaves, and flowers
F
ireweed is a lovely perennial plant that can be
used in a variety of ways by foragers. Fireweed
is considered a pioneer plant and will be one of
the first plants to grow in a disturbed site. The brilliant
magenta blooms of fireweed are a sight to behold,
especially when they are growing as far as the eye
can see in the site of an old forest fire. These tall and
elegant blooms grow in characteristic terminal clusters of four-petaled flowers ranging from light pink to
purple in color.
The plant can grow as tall as three metres in
height. The leaves grow alternately up the stem and
are lance-shaped and stalkless and range from 5–20
centimetres in length. In the spring the new shoots of
fireweed appear and have a pinkish red tinge to the
green stalk and leaves.
The shoots are best harvested when they are
less than a foot in height, and still very flexible. They
are often called wild asparagus and can be used
cooked in a similar manner. The shoots are good
eaten fresh in salads, steamed or sautéed and are
rich in Vitamins A and C.
The leaves are also rich in Vitamin C and can be
harvested throughout the summer and added to salads or green juices, or sautéed with garlic and butter for a delicious and nutritious addition to the dinner
table. The leaves can be steeped as a tea that has
anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties. The flowers of fireweed can be harvested and
used to make fireweed jelly, a beautiful, delicate, treat
that captures the essence of fireweed.
Fireweed has been used by Indigenous Peoples in North America for thousands of years. Many
Coastal First Nations groups ate the young shoots
fresh and made medicinal teas from the leaves. The
fibrous outer portion of the stem was used to make
twine for fishing nets.
The Squamish People used the feathery seeds
of the plant to mix with mountain goat hair, and the
hair of a special breed of wool dog, to create wool to
weave blankets. These woven blankets told a story:
the specific woven patterns indicated family lines and
professions, and offered spiritual protection for the
people wearing the blankets.
SPRING/SUMMER 2016
43