It has slightly unequal, notched, four-petalled deep pinkish-purple flowers (15-25mm across) growing up a long spike….Information on Rosebay Willowherb.

Each plant can produce around 80,000 seeds per year. Within dense colonies the plant is mainly spread through horizontal roots which can spread up to 1m per year. Although it can be invasive, the pink flowers provide a pollen and nectar source to a range of insects in the summer months.

As a pioneer plant, rosebay willowherb thrives on waste ground. Keep an eye out for it when travelling by car or train. It likes to grow in dry, relatively open areas. It can typically be found in forest clearings, beside tracks and trails, on recently disturbed ground and on well-drained banks of rivers.

If willowherbs do take your fancy, the greater willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum) also has lovely spikes of large pink flowers and softly hairy leaves, but sadly it is also a very invasive plant. In fact these are introduced and naturalised plants, but none the less valuable to the wildlife gardener for that.

This is a good plant to know. Its not the best food, but being so abundant can be very useful. In the Springtime the young shoots and leaves can be eaten raw, and as they get older need to be steamed or boiled for 10 minutes. Treat the shoots like asparagus.

—Part used— Herb. Epilobium angustifolium (Linn.), the Rose Bay Willow-herb, is one of our handsomest wild flowers, and like the Foxglove, is for its beauty often cultivated as a garden plant.

Rosebay willowherb is able to colonise new areas because of its specially adapted seeds – fitted with tiny, cottony ‘parachutes’ they are able to disperse across long distances on the slightest breeze. Each plant can produce up to 80,000 seeds and the heat from fires and bonfires can help to germinate them, hence another common name of ‘Fireweed’.

The Willow-herbs ( Epilobium ), nine species of which are natives of Great Britain, belong to the order Onagraceae, to which belong also the familiar garden flowers the Fuchsia, Clarkia and Godetia, and the Evening Primrose ( Cenothera biennis) (a native of North America, which, as a garden escape, is sometimes found apparently wild).

Bruise the leaves by wringing them in your hands and generally smooshing them about a bit. Lightly ferment the leaves/flowers by leaving them in a carrier bag in a warm place for a few days, until they start to go “foosty” and discolour.