fireweed

fireweed
/fuyeur"weed'/, n.
any of various plants appearing in recently burned clearings, as the willow herb, Epilobium angustifolium.
[1775-85, Amer.; FIRE + WEED1]

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Perennial wildflower (Epilobium angustifolium) of the evening-primrose family.

Its spikes of whitish to magenta flowers, which grow up to 5 ft (1.5 m) high, can be a spectacular sight on prairies of the temperate zone. Its seeds can lie dormant for many years, awaiting the warmth necessary for germination. Fireweed is one of the first plants to appear after a forest or brush fire; it also rapidly covers scrub or woodland areas that have been cleared by machine. It has limited use in wild gardens, where it must be carefully checked and confined.

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plant
(Epilobium angustifolium),also called  Great Willow Herb, or Wickup,  

      perennial wildflower, in the evening primrose family (Onagraceae), abundant on newly clear and burned areas. Its spikes of whitish to magenta flowers, which grow up to 1.5 m (5 feet) high, can be a spectacular sight on prairies of the temperate zone. Like those of many weedy plants, its seeds can lie dormant for many years, awaiting the warmth necessary for germination. Fireweed is one of the first plants to appear after a forest or brush fire; it also rapidly covers scrub or woodland areas that have been cleared by machine.

      Fireweed has limited use in wild gardens, where it must be carefully checked and confined. The willowlike young shoots and leaves can be cooked and eaten.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Fireweed — Fire weed , n. (Bot.) (a) An American plant ({Erechthites hiercifolia}), very troublesome in spots where brushwood has been burned. (b) The great willow herb ({Epilobium spicatum}). [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fireweed — ☆ fireweed [fīr′wēd΄ ] n. any of a number of plants that grow readily on cleared or burned over land; esp., a species (Epilobium angustifolium) of willow herb, with purplish red flowers …   English World dictionary

  • Fireweed — Taxobox name = Fireweed image width = 220px regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Myrtales familia = Onagraceae genus = Epilobium species = E. angustifolium binomial = Epilobium angustifolium binomial authority …   Wikipedia

  • fireweed — Alaska slang The weed everyone loves. It grows anywhere it wants to. Has pink flowers ... and in fall, the leaves turn a fiery red ..... hence the name Fireweed …   English dialects glossary

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  • Fireweed (disambiguation) — Fireweed is a perennial herbaceous plant in the willowherb family Onagraceae.Fireweed may also refer to:* Fireweed (bacteria), a cyanobacteria * Fireweed (herb), an erect annual slightly succulent herb * Fireweed (periodical), a feminist literary …   Wikipedia

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  • Fireweed (periodical) — Fireweed: A Feminist Quarterly of Writing, Politics, Art Culture , was founded in Toronto, Canada, in 1978 by the Fireweed Collective. Collective members have included Elizabeth Ruth, Makeda Silvera, Carolyn Smart and Rhea Tregebov. Issues of… …   Wikipedia

  • fireweed groundsel — /faɪəwid ˈgraʊnsəl/ (say fuyuhweed grownsuhl) noun an erect, shrubby, aromatic perennial herb, Senecio linearifolius, with bright yellow flowers; found in south eastern Australia. {fireweed from its habit of colonising areas cleared by busfire +… …  

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