The Treasured Traditional Medicine of Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium / Onagraceae)

in #naturalmedicine6 years ago (edited)

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A breeze is blowing through the window carrying the sweet fragrance of fireweed with it. It smells sweet and spicy. The aroma gently lingers in the air around me.

I've been cultivating fireweed in my flower garden since we moved to our homestead. It sits just beneath my bedroom/office window.

The beautiful pink/fuchsia flowers of fireweed remind me of the far North. At school we learned that you could suck on the spring stalks for a sweet treat. I would bring bouquets home for mum, plucking a few flowers and sucking on the sweetness as I walked. Memories of watching my son splashing rocks into the lake, running happily through the tall stalks with glorious pink flowers remain vivid. Fireweed and I have been friends for a long time.

This flower is known by many names. In Canada many call it great willowherb and in Britain it's better known as rosebay willowherb. The cree call Oja’cid’bik meaning slippery root, or soap root, Chipewyan call it Gon Dhi’ele meaning Fire New Branch. Regardless of geography or culture, those that know the fireweed share a healthy appreciation for the many gifts that it bestows upon us.

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Fireweed is a traditional medicine among many indigenous peoples. The whole plant, roots, stem, leaves and flowers, are used for a wide range of healing and culinary purposes. This plant is simply fascinating to study! Fireweed is best known as a healer of burns, including those of mother earth. Whenever forest fires have devastated the land, fireweed will appear. Their beautiful magenta flowers will spread across the injured land beginning the healing process.

One legend of the fireweed tells of an Indian maiden. To rescue her lover from an enemy tribe which was preparing to torture him, she set fire to the forest about their camp. While they fled before the flames, she lifted the wounded man and carried him off through the woods. Some of the tribe, unfortunately, saw what she was doing and followed her. With her heavy burden she could not travel fast enough to escape but wherever she touched her moccasined feet to the black ashes of the forest floor a flame sprang up in her wake and drove the enemy backward. When at last they gave up the chase, flames continued to leap about her but they took the form of a brilliant flower that blazed through the blackened skeleton of the forest long after she had passed ~ source: Old Man’s Garden. Gray’s Publishing; 1954 P. 94.

You'll find fireweed growing wild throughout the temperate Northern hemisphere, ranging from Siberia across North America. It grows in meadows, forests, river edges, roadsides and disturbed land and will often be found growing densely on charred land. It is not particularly choosy when it comes to soil ph and I've found it very easy to cultivate in our own garden. Around here it blooms in mid August.

Fireweed has natural antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains a bioactive molecule called oenothein-B, which has impressive anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant powers. It is also antimicrobial, antiseptic, antioxidant, emollient (soothing externally) laxative and tonic.

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Leaves

fireweed leaves are a great chamomile replacement. Excellent for calming the digestive system. Collect them before the flowers are in bloom for the most potency. You can dry the leaves as you would with any herb or you can follow a traditional fermentation process - there are many tutorials online for doing so. The leaves can also be infused in oils and used to treat minor skin conditions (acne, inflammation etc).

Roots

can be infused into a slave used to treat small sores & insect bites. A fresh root poultice can also be made to draw out impurities and infection.

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Flowers

Flowers can be dried for tea or infused in oils to make salves. lotions and ointments. Often the flowers and leaves are combined when doing this. Harvest just as they open for the most medicinal value.

The blackfoot rubbed fireweed flowers on their mittens and rawhide thongs as waterproofing. The inner pith from the stems was dried, powdered and rubbed on the hands and face as protective talc from winter's icy grip.

Culinary uses:

The fireweed shoots can be cooked and eaten like asparagus (I've never done this) and the young tender leaves are wonderful in salads or as a sautéed green.

The flowers can be transformed into jellies and other sweet treats.

The Bees love it too!
Fireweed honey is highly sought after. Some beekeepers drive their bees and hives to areas rich in fireweed for the blossoming season.

There is so much more to fireweed than I have shared here.

If it is a plant native to where you live I strongly recommend getting familiar and maybe even cultivating some for own garden.

Always remember to harvest sustainably. Before harvesting take time to study and observe this plant. learn to love and appreciate this magnificent plant and it's gifts and then take only what you need.

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[@walkerland ]
Building a greener, more beautiful world one seed at a time.
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Oh what a beautiful picture you have painted with your words! I LOVED every sentence in this post.
Memories, medicinal uses and so much more. You have a way with the written expression,

oh thank you! :) I really do live fireweed.

And to think that in some parts they consider fireweed to be a noxious weed! I had some planted around my pond when I lived in Canada. I had the local weed control officer come around and tell me to either spray them or he would. I fought that one and I won. Got to keep my fireweed!

oh, I would fight for my fireweed too! I think it looks so pretty growing wild and carefree everywhere.

Wonderful info! The pictures really assist (perfect choices). Thanks so much for this!!!!

I would like to hear more about the traditional fermentation process for the leaves.

I have never done it but I am hoping to squeeze in some time to give it a try. Here's a post that talks about it more: https://permies.com/t/48812/kitchen/Fireweed-Leaf-Tea

That was interesting. I would give it a try if I had some available. We might be able to cultivate it here in Virginia, but it isn't found in the wild.

Now look what you made me do!

ooh, that's a lot of seeds - how wonderful! I always do the same thing - seed catalogues are dangerous places. :)

I hope it grows well for you. It is such a resilient plant. Here's a photo of our cultivated patch of fireweed in the very wild/messy garden. It's not quite in full bloom.

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When I saw the first photo, I thought it was phlox! It looks very similar.

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Very pretty! :)

Woo! Love your post - we've given you a wee upvote and hope it helps you continue to write such amazing posts. We have also resteemed this awesomeness.

If you're a supporter of all things natural healing and have not met us before or are not already part of our growing community, you might like to read our introductory post here. We'd also love to welcome you on Discord here!!

And this week is brought to us by the colour PINK! I love how NM brings us all knowledge of herb and plant medicines with which we may not be familiar. Much love 💜💜💜

♥ Pink is indeed the colour of the week! ♥ Thank you for the encouragement!

Amazing. I have never heard of fireweed, but it does look familiar. Definitely not common here in Australia. How's the pink vibe at the moment - we must be all pink vibing each other. I love your photos - are they taken with your phone? Your collection bag is very nice!!! xx

The pink vibe is perfect - just like your rhubarb stew!! ♥ oh gosh do I ever love rhubarb and beets...sometimes too much because you can get pink pee! (haha). :)

oh and I shoot with a big digital camera and lens. I don't like cell phones so I communicate old school! :) Thank you, I love that bag. It was given to me many years ago and is just perfect for herb gathering.

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What a fantastic choice.

oh, how exciting. This lovely surprise added cheer to my morning. Thank you so much @earthtribe! I could use a little help getting in touch though. I am having trouble finding the user ELAmental#2433 on discord. I would be grateful if someone would come to my rescue. Would it be possible for you to contact me: walkerland#3544.

You have your settings to only send and receive messages to people you are friends with or share a server with. I have added you as a friend and sent you a message on Discord :-)

That is an ENCYCLOPEDIA entry! It is an herb I have used a little, but I did not realize it had so many tricks up its sleeve. It grows wild around here, I am going to have to invite some over to my place.

oh, how lucky for you! Fireweed is such a treasure. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

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