Fireweed

Epilobium angustifolium

In the old days, the young leaves of the downy currant and the fireweed were stripped off the plants, boiled and mixed with reindeer milk. The white root of the fireweed was also eaten. The plant was a cure for thrush, the white blisters that children had in their mouths. Fireweed leaves were also suitable for cleaning fish. The stem of a young fireweed can be eaten as a vegetable, and the leaves are a source of tea.

The fireweed becomes 50–150 cm high. The plant blooms in July – August, and the flowers are usually purple, but they can also be white. Fireweeds grow in sunny, open areas and spread effectively. The leaves are rich in vitamin C and the shoots in vitamin A.