Photo of the Week: Fireweed in Alaska
Purchases made through links earn us a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
During our time in Alaska, I kept seeing these beautiful pink wildflowers, growing just off the sides of the road. The colour was so eye-catching, they almost appeared to glow in the sunlight!
I usually only share one photo for my Photo of the Week series, but I couldn’t decide which picture I liked best, so I decided to just share them all!
Fireweed is abundant in Alaska, making it the state’s most well known wildflower. Considering how much we saw, I was surprised to find out that fireweed is not Alaska’s state flower- the alpine forget-me-not holds that title.
Fireweed gets its name because it grows very well in areas that have been cleared by fire. For this reason, it is often used to re-establish vegetation after a site disturbance.
Fireweed has many other uses as well. They are a good source of vitamin C and are used to treat cuts and boils. In Alaska, fireweed is used to make syrups, jellies, candies and even ice cream.
Fireweed in Alaska reaches peak bloom by late July or early August. An old Alaskan legend holds that by the time fireweed blossoms all the way to the top, the first snowfall is just six weeks away.
