By Shelly Patterson
Every summer, the hillsides and meadows of Anarchist Mountain come alive with the vibrant magenta of fireweed. Towering on tall stalks, this wildflower is more than just a splash of colour—it’s a symbol of resilience. Fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium) is often the first plant to grow after a disturbance, especially wildfire.
Yes it’s August and recently we had a close call with lightening strikes across the border and smoke didn’t respect the border. A not so welcome reminder that the mountain is so very dry and we all need to be fire risk aware.
On our property while working to remove dead trees, limbs and years of undergrowth we find many reminders that a large fire came this way once. In researching we believe it was in 1954 fire and many large black- almost petrified pieces of wood, stumps have been found.
After the 1954 fire on Anarchist Mountain, we have read how residents recalled the fireweed quickly moved in, softening the scorched hillsides with colour and life. Its name reflects this very role—growing from ashes, spreading quickly through both seed and underground roots.
Today, fireweed still is doing its job but in smaller patches and in the most unusual places at times. Picture of a single stem
Fireweed isn’t just beautiful—it’s also useful. Traditionally, people harvested the young shoots in spring as a wild green, and dried the leaves for a mild, vitamin-rich tea. Today, fireweed is still used in herbal remedies and salves, tea and what goes great in tea? That’s right. Honey.
Perhaps one of the sweetest benefits of fireweed and most commonly known is its honey. Bees are drawn to its nectar-rich blooms, and local beekeepers sometimes produce small batches of pale, delicately flavoured fireweed honey—a prized treat among those lucky enough to find it and yes we can find it from our local apiaries. Sometimes called forest honey as a combination or on its own- it’s delicious.
Fireweed’s presence is a gentle reminder: nature rebounds, even after fire and turns something into good. It reverts damage into beauty and gives both bees and people something to look forward to.