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Rosebay Willowherb

Chamerion angustifolium

Also called Fireweed, Great Willowherb, Bombweed

Flower Identified 1 time

About Rosebay Willowherb

This tall native wildflower lights up sunny spots with magenta flowers in summer. Bees love it. In autumn, long pods split open to float seeds away on silky down.

Type: Perennial wildflower
Height: 3–5 ft
Spread: 2–3 ft
Sun: Full sun
Water: Low once established
Soil: Any well-drained soil
Hardiness: Hardy to -20 °F
Flowers: June to August
Growth: Upright, spreads by runners
Toxicity: Not known to be toxic
Native to: Temperate Northern Hemisphere

How to recognise it

Tall unbranched upright stems
Narrow lance-shaped leaves with pale veins
Slender seed capsules splitting into curling ribbons
Abundant white silky seed plumes

Caring for Rosebay Willowherb

Watering

How often: Only in long dry spells
How much: Soak the base with about 1 in of water
When: Morning
Tips: It handles dry soil well once established. Rain is usually plenty.

Feeding

How often: Do not feed
What to use: None
When: None
How: It thrives in poor ground and feeds make it floppy.

Pruning

When: Late autumn or late winter
How: Cut all stems down to ground level
Tips: Snip seedheads off now if you do not want it spreading everywhere.

Jobs it will ask for

Snip off fluffy seedheads Cut off the fuzzy tops before wind scatters seedlings through your beds.
Cut stems to ground level Slice brown stems back to soil level after the leaves drop.

Through the year

Spring

New green shoots push up from underground runners. Dig out runners you do not want.

Summer

Spikes of vivid pink blossoms open. Bees will visit every day.

Autumn

Flowers turn into fluffy seed ribbons. Cut back stems once they turn brown.

Winter

The plant rests completely underground. Mark the spot so you do not dig it up.

What to watch for

Spreading too aggressively: Dig around the clump with a spade and pull out shallow roots each spring.
Flopping stems: Grow in full sun and stop feeding the soil.

Written by Garden Rescue from photo identifications, in US units. Local advice from your extension service or garden centre beats a general guide.