fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium)

Tall, with spikes of striking deep pink and magenta flowers, fireweed is a stunning ornamental suitable for the wilder areas of a garden. The plant can be weedy, spreading readily underground and from cottony seeds. Flowers bloom bottom to top on each raceme and produce a continuous supply of nectar that attracts a wide range of insect pollinators. In the wild, fireweed prefers disturbed sites and gets its name from its tendency to grow where fires have occurred.