A Full-time Life

FIREWEED

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Fireweed is a  tall beautifully-colored wildflower that is blooming prolifically in fields and along roadsides wherever we've been in Alaska so far.  

It is lovely to see masses of these magenta flowers as you walk or drive along.   

 

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Fireweed is known as Alaska's Summer Clock.   Local wisdom says that once the fireweed blooms to the top of the stalk,  summer is over and it is only a few more weeks until the long winter sets in.   

 

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Believe me, we are keeping a  close eye on it! 

 

Here are a few more beautiful Alaska wildflowers.   We've enjoyed these lovely color spots as we travel in the state and, for year-round Alaskans, I would imagine they are even more welcome after a long cold winter. 

 

Alaska wildflowers

 

I'm planning to link this post* to TODAY'S FLOWERS AND NF BLO-MA.  Thank you to Denise and the TF team and to Monica for hosting Blo-Ma.  

(*if travel and internet connections cooperate)

We appreciate all visitors and commenters! Thank you.

33 responses to “FIREWEED”

  1. Pat

    Very pretty flowers and photos of them. After a long winter, people must be so happy to see sights like this.

  2. Penny

    Beautiful to behold, Sallie/.

  3. l'angevine

    jolies

  4. Mary

    Such beautiful flowers! Wonderful flowers!

  5. Hildred Finch

    Lots of fireweed around here in the Similkameen. A great number of years ago when we were connected with the sheep industry provincially for a few summers we gathered sheep from all over the province and pastured them out in the mountains, on fireweed, which they loved and which is very nutritious for sheep.

  6. Ramblingwoods

    Beautiful color

  7. NatureFootstep Memes

    I love that flower. We naemd them after the man that buildt the railroads. 🙂
    Something got wrong I think. You link to Blo-Ma but the link goes to last weeks edition that is closed. And you are not linked to any of the linkups. 🙁 Just ato let you know

  8. Ela

    Wonderful collection of the flowers !

  9. Gaelyn

    The flowers are all gorgeous, but I do love the fireweed best.

  10. Felicia

    beautiful images.

  11. Judy

    So that is what fireweed looks like!!! I have read the name in so many books… And. being a native plant, it is so much more beautiful than our invasive purple loosestrife…

  12. Pat

    Gorgeous array of color!

  13. Carver

    The fireweed is lovely and I also like the montage with other Alaska wildflowers.

  14. DeniseinVA

    Gorgeous wild flowers Sallie. Fireweed is new to me.

  15. orchid

    Oh, I’ve never seen Fireweed before; so pretty,aren’t they♡♡♡ It is funny to hear (under this hot weather here,haha)that they are the sign of coming cold winter. And sweet other beautiful flowers are still blooming♬♬♬ Your friend’s comment that moose love it made me amazed. Thank you very much for the word “prolifically” p;)
    ps. I’ve heard about debris reached to even America! A disaster sure doesn’t mean for the particular coutry. Hope we all won’t be the subject of another big one, Dear Sallie.

  16. Gattina

    Beautiful flowers !

  17. Barb

    Sallie, I’ll have to remember this about Fireweed. I know the moose love it! Unfortunately, it’s trying to take over my garden. I love seeing it in the forest though. You’re seeing a variety of wildflowers.

  18. rainfield

    The fireweed blooming fully signals the end of summer.
    A beautiful signal to start winter?

  19. Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow

    Such beautiful flowers that we don’t see ‘down here’ 🙂 It is fun to view them through your eyes 🙂

  20. Mama Zen

    Beautiful flowers!

  21. Hazel

    I had no idea Alaska had so much summer vegetation during its short summer! Your Blog is a great diary of your tour and a continuing delight to follow.

  22. Gail

    What a neat indicator of when to expect colder temps. Sure wish we could expect winter soon…sigh. Love all those beautiful blooms, Sallie!

  23. Dianne

    Thank you for sharing these lovely photos! I am a fan of wild flowers and I know Alaska has many varieties not found in the lower 48 states.

  24. Karen, Pixel Posts

    How lovely! Nice mosaic!

  25. Penelope Puddlisms

    I think weeds get bad press sometimes because they are so prolific but many of them are quite lovely and add color to beige and gray landscapes.

  26. TexWisGirl

    really beautiful!

  27. Yogi

    I love the looks of the fireweed and love the story about how the full flowering signals the end of summer.

  28. phil

    I’m pretty sure we have fireweed here too. The finches like the seeds come autumn time. You found some lovely flowers and of course the typical images of Alaska are snow and ice, not the wonderful but short lived summer.

  29. Annie

    I wonder if fireweeds are not the most common flowers in the northern world. I see them here, all around my parents’ house, in Germany, in Swisterland, in Norway, in USA, in Canada… They are good, faithful and beautiful friends !

  30. Sondra

    That must be awesome to see…love the fireweed! Its Mid july already…can hardly believe it! Safe travels to y’all.

  31. Roan

    Gorgeous flowers! Thank you for your comments on mine. Sorry I haven’t been by to comment back until now. I’m working double hours these days. Will catch up soon. You asked about when the link opens for Rubbish Tuesday. I open it at
    6 a.m. on Monday Morning and leave it open until Wednesday night.

  32. Eileen

    Gorgeous colors and beautiful flowers. I just can not think about winter now, it is way too soon.. Happy weekend!

  33. craftygreenpoet

    it’s a lovely flower, we get it here in Scotand and we call it (usually) rosebay willow herb.

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