Purple loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria grows in wetlands with six-petaled flowers and square stems.
Use the botanical sourceCulinary reference
Fireweed.
Chamaenerion angustifolium
Also found as Rosebay willowherb
A tall pioneer of burns and clearings with willow-like leaves and bright magenta flower spikes.
Sources checked 27 September 2026 · Specialist field review pending
Before any gathering or use
Large amounts can be laxative.
Where it grows
Tracked records and known growing zone
- Verified records
- 127,469
- People who recorded it
- 47,468
- Most records (northern hemisphere)
- Jul–Aug
- Records span
- 1937–2026
| January | 228 |
|---|---|
| February | 189 |
| March | 274 |
| April | 2621 |
| May | 5297 |
| June | 17295 |
| July | 51443 |
| August | 37162 |
| September | 10198 |
| October | 2041 |
| November | 471 |
| December | 249 |
Research-grade iNaturalist records, snapshot Aug 27, 2026. The growing zone combines areas where different people have repeatedly verified it. Records show where people looked and found it, not current abundance or permission to gather.
01 / Learn to see
Field marks
- 01
Tall stems with narrow, willow-like leaves; veins loop before reaching the edge.
- 02
Spikes of four-petaled magenta flowers opening from the bottom up.
- 03
Long, slender seed pods releasing fluffy seeds.
These are study prompts, not a complete identification key. Confirm the full plant with a regional flora and an experienced local identifier.
02 / Resolve the differences
Look closely. Compare.
Foxglove
Toxic · do not eatFoxglove flowers are tubular bells; highly toxic.
Selected comparisons only. Other lookalikes may occur locally.
03 / Meet the place
Habitat & season
Range context
Circumboreal across North America, Europe and Asia.
Watch the plant stage
Shoots in spring; flowers in mid to late summer.
Stage guidance is not a local forecast. Check your climate, elevation and a regional source; no month-shift formula is used here.
04 / Gather with care
Documented use & care
Parts discussed: Young shoot · Leaf · Flower
Cook young shoots. Ferment or dry leaves for tea. Flowers make jelly.
Care for the patch
Fireweed stabilizes burned and disturbed ground; take shoots from large stands.
Preparation & storage essentials05 / Follow the evidence
Sources & review
- Wikipedia · Chamaenerion angustifoliumBotanical description, range and documented use
- iNaturalist · Chamaenerion angustifoliumTaxonomy and verified observation records
Checked 27 September 2026. Original editorial synthesis; source institutions have not reviewed or endorsed this guide. Independent botanical field review is pending. Photos illustrate specimens; they do not certify the identity of a plant you find.
Suggest a correction