Rosebay Willowherb or as Gaeilge Lus na Tine

Chamerion angustifolium (Epilobium angustifolium)

Family: Onagraceae

Sometimes called Fireweed, this beautiful, tall, vigorous, showy perennial graces the margins of woodland, bogs and roadsides from June to September in Kilteevan and can reach a height of almost 2 metres. As you can see from our local images it is an interesting plant to observe over four months.

The flowers have four-petals and growing up a long spike. They are magenta or deep pinkish-purple in colour. It is a hairy plant, with long coarsely toothed leaves.

It looks firey red as it goes to seed-hence possibly the use of the name Fireweed in some places

This plant is native to part of the country and has been introduced to other areas.

In autumn the downy seed pods split into four and releasing numerous long plumes of cottony hairs with tiny light seeds. This plant has become quite widespread across Ireland, possibly because it seems to thrive on disturbed land.

Rosebay Willow-herb has been used in a few areas of medicine.

                                                                                                      Brambles Kilteevan

Kilteevan is home to a wide variety of beautiful wild flowers. Plants are the cornerstone of our biodiversity the foundation on which all wildlife depends.

Green plants remove carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere, which helps keep the environment healthy and fit for human life. Different species of plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms provide us with food, medicines, fuel, building materials, fibre for clothing and industrial products.

A number of people in the community have expressed an interest in getting to know our wild flowers better so from time to time we will include information in this section of our website.