Do you mean Epilobium angustifolium? I rarely see it here so perhaps it is not invasive. Have never grown it. I have seen it in other parts of the country/world growing wild tho not in gardens. It is pretty!

I know it as growing wild here in central NH. I haven't noticed it spreading from the one patch I am aware of. It does have fluffy, fly-away seeds like milkweed or dandelions, so I would imagine that you would want to deadhead it just to be sure.

Yes, it is pretty in a very delicate way, like a lupines fragile little sister. That's why I was wondering how long the bloooms last. They look like the heat we'll be having later this week may do them in! But, if it's a nice native that doesn't spread, then I'll keep it. Thanks, ginny12 and nhbabs!

P.S. It's also possible this came from a swap and I just can't remember!

I have those in my yard in purple. I didn't know that was fireweed; I always called them Lady Bells. I have had a small patch of them for several years; they have not been invasive at all. They seem to be a very slow spreader, clump style. They may spread by seed. I wish they would as they are so pretty, but they haven't in my yard. Then again nothing seems to reseed very easily in my yard. So I am wondering if anyone knows if Lady Bells and Fireweed are the same thing? I thought Firweed would be red?

Blake

They call it fireweed not because of the color but because it is one of the first things to appear after fire devastation. I'm glad to hear that i's not invasive. Now hoping the blooms survive the weekend!

P.S. My holding bed never caught on fire, but I guess it decided to plop itself down anyway!

That is not Fireweed; that is Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana). It is beautiful, and native, but very aggressive spreader. Mine are currently sitting in pots, awaiting some new beds I am planning where it can spread more freely.

I started Fireweed from seed last year. Very easy, early sprouter; one of the first plants to colonize burned areas in its native range. It is not native to New England, but could be naturalized? It is native to a small part of the northwest US, all of Canada, and Alaska.

My Fireweed is also sitting in pots awaiting the new beds, so I don't really know much about it's growth yet.

Thanks, Terrene, I am glad that I now know what is growing in my yard. It must be obdient plant. I know Annie gave me some during one of the swaps. I don't know where I got the name Lady Bells

Blake

Now we know it's not fireweed. I've seen occasional fireweed plants under the powerline near where we used to live. In AK, there are large patches of them. We passed one old burn area in the Yukon that had acres of fireweed. It was quite beautiful and not bothering anyone.

I purchased fireweed seeds one year from a place in Alaska, and attempted to winter sow them, without success unfortunately. I wish it had been more invasive. Fireweed is a bright pink/fushia color, similar to purple loosestrife. Very attractive.

Here is a link that might be useful: fireweed- images & info from wikipedia

Obedient plant it is, then! Amazing how closely it resembles fireweed. Mystery solved, and since I have heard before that it is a rather disobedient plant I will probably not keep it since it apparently spreads by stolons. I so don't like spreading by stolons!

Thank you!

Deanna -

re spreading by stolons. You can plant in a large plastic nursery pot with the bottom cut out and buried almost to the rim and then rip out any pieces that try to cross the rim.

I do notice that you have Eupatorium (Joe Pye weed) also in that bed. In my experience it will spread both through seed if you dn't deadhead thoroughly and slowly by stolons and is a real monster to dig out if/when you want to remove it. If you aren't fond of spreaders you might want to rethink this or put it in a bed with other thugs. I remove a few sprouts every year (3 years after spending a day removing all mine.)