description
habitat & ecology
traditional knowledge
western uses
harvesting
100
what color are fireweed flowers?
fuchsia to pink
100
what habitat does fireweed often grow in leading to its name?
burned or recently logged areas
100
what parts of the plant were most commonly eaten by First Nation tribes?
the shoots
eaten raw, boiled, or steamed
100
what are some ways fireweed can be cooked?
sautéed, roasted, or steamed, deep-fried as tempura or pickled
fireweed petals in salad or as a garnish
fireweed blossoms can be made into a jelly or syrup
ferment and dry leaves for Ivan Chai
100
what part(s) of this plant can be eaten?
shoots, leaves, and flowers
200
fireweed is often compared to what vegetable?
asparagus
200
where does fireweed grow?
many places!
from Alaska to California (including British Columbia), and east to the northern Atlantic coast, south to North Carolina, west to Tennessee, and northwest to Illinois, Iowa, and North Dakota
200
what did the Coast Salish peoples use the seed fluff for?
weaving and cozy mattresses and blankets
200
what ailment is fireweed used to treat in UK and Ireland?
asthma
200
how do you harvest fireweed? what is one thing to keep in mind?
snap off stalks near the bottom, pick flowers by hand, slide fingers down the stalk to harvest leaves (if abundant)
don't harvest stalks of taller plants because they'll be fibrous
300
how tall can fireweed grow?
6-10ft
300
who eats fireweed?
elk, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and mule deer, black-tailed deer, and moose
pikas and chipmunks nibble pods and cache seeds
muskrats, rabbits, songbirds, waterfowl, and upland game birds eat the greens and seeds
300
what were fireweed fibers used to make by many First Nation tribes?
fishing nets
they peeled off the outer layer of the stem, dried it, and later soaked it in water and twisted or spun it into twine
300
fireweed polyphenols have been shown promise in the treatment of ...?
cancer
300
why can shoots only be harvested in spring?
in spring the stems are crisp and juicy, but in summer they turn fibrous
400
what are fireweed leaves like?
alternate, smooth-edged and lance-shaped
400
what sweet product is made from fireweed?
honey! beekeepers will transport hives to clearcuts for fireweed honey
400
what ailment was fireweed poultice used for in Indigenous medicine?
skin boils and infection
400
what ecological benefit does fireweed present?
forest recovery and soil stabilization after fires
400
what drink can be made from fireweed leaves? how?
Ivan Chai
roll leaves into tea pearls so they can ferment
500
what are fireweed seeds like?
white and fluffy
500
what are potential threats to this species?
none! it's doing great :)
500
what were infusions of dried fireweed used as in Indigenous medicine?
a laxative
500
fireweed has demonstrated a unique technological benefit because of it's flowers. any guesses?
mutations from the radiation near uranium deposits results in a white-flowered variants of fireweed; this phenomenon can be used to find uranium
500
what are fireweed phytochemicals associated with?
fighting cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders