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Definition of fireweed
: any of several plants that grow especially in clearings or burned districts: such asa : a weedy annual composite (Erechtites hieraciifolia synonym E. hieraciifolius) of eastern North America having flower heads of whitish tubular disk flowers enveloped by green bractsb : a tall perennial (Epilobium angustifolium) of the evening-primrose family that has long spikes of pinkish-purple flowers and is an important honey plant in some areas —called also willow herb
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of fireweed from the Web
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Nearly every tree had been stripped from the land by the time of the park’s founding, carted away for lumber or fireweed.
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Three riders finished the most daunting race — about 400 miles from Sheep Mountain to Valdez and back — in the 15th Fireweed last weekend, when Anthony Berberich and Christina Grande earned the men's and women's victories, respectively.
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Meanwhile mountain bouquets of aster, fireweed, lupine and glacier lily enthrall at every turn.
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The dishes often include unique ingredients Anna and Byron have foraged from their land — things like fireweed shoots, spruce tips and woodland violets.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fireweed.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
This is a perennial wildflower of the evening primrose family. Its spikes of whitish to magenta flowers, which grow up to 5 ft (1.5 m) high, are 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.
First Known Use of fireweed
1764
Learn More about fireweed
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See words that rhyme with fireweed Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fireweed
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