Best time to see: Jun to late Aug

Key facts

Native of America and successful coloniser of waste places, forming large patches of bright pink-purple spikes

Found in bare dry places: gained its name 'fireweed' because it is often the first plant to colonise after fires

Provides good forage for bees, in terms of both pollen (which is blue) and nectar

Extras

Tall almost hairless stems with a spike of pink-purple flowers at the top, 20–30 mm across

Leaves lanceolate and finely toothed

Plumed seeds drift long distances on the breeze