Rosebay Willowherb
Latin: Epilobium angustifolium
Irish: Lus na tine
Rosebay Willowherb is a native perennial that is very striking because of its flower colour, its size and its capacity to quickly colonise areas that have become bare because of human disturbance, fire, etc. In North America, for example, it is called “Fireweed” because of this capacity.
This species grows in profusion in the Builder’s Paddock and several other locations at Castlewarden.
It has an erect, unbranched, stem up to 150 cm tall. Striking, deep purple-red flowers are produced in late June. Numerous flowers, each with 4 petals and about 25mm across, are produced in poker-like racemes. Seeds are produced in long, narrow pod-like structures that reveal masses of cottony fibres when they split open at maturity.
