Botanical Archive No. 1997

Fireweed

Chamaenerion angustifolium

One of the first plants to return after fire.

Archive record

Harvest

Flowering tops collected at peak bloom, mid-to-late July.

Grown

Roadsides, burns, and clearings across Interior Alaska

Bloom time

July — the whole state seems to bloom pink at once

Drying notes

Dried quickly in low heat to preserve color.

Storage

Store dried flower away from light; color fades within a year.

Recipes

Infused into oil for the body-oil line; also dries well for tea blends.

Field Note No. 033 — when the top blooms open, first frost is about six weeks out.

Alaskans read the season by this plant more than any calendar.