A diary of back garden botany, urban ecology, rural rambles and field trips to the middle of nowhere...
Saturday, 18 July 2020
Rosebay Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium) is in flower wherever it can take hold: field margins, waste ground, railway embankments and disturbed ground generally. Prolific is the word that springs to mind. I noted recently that the white flowered form in the garden is attracting bumblebees [entry dated 11th. July] but this patch was buzzing with honeybees. The white form is sometimes cultivated as a garden plant by wild gardeners like me but in the wild I have only seen E. angustifolium with the vivid magenta/pink inflorescence.
In its native habitat of North America the plant is known as Fireweed- not a reference to these fiery hues. It flourishes after areas have been scorched by fire; my father tells me he saw it growing on bombsites all over the East End. Perhaps those conflagrations are one of the reasons it came to be such an abundant weed/wildflower here in the UK.
NB Strictly speaking I must correct myself by noting that E. angustifolium has been reclassified as Chamaenerion angustifolium though both names seem to be in usage.