Help with the weed

Every day, driving through on the Edinburgh motorway, I see this weed, but can't remember the name of it. I think it has a strange sort of name which makes it sound nice. When I was wee, we used them to make swords.



Does anyone know the right name. I'm going out to the pub now, and expect help to be there when I get home.

On the 'health' front, it's been up and down, but I continue to see progress. It will take a long, long time!

It's Rose-bay-willow herb I think Gee.

Called the bombsite plant cos it grew so easily/readily in the ruins of post-blitz London

We usedta make spears

nice one mr immo monty don,
tis indeed rosebay willow herb, and quite a plant it is too, read on mcduff........................


Rosebay Willowherb

Scientific Names: Epilobium angustifolium syn. Chamerion angustifolium, Chamaenerion angustifolium,
Other names: Blooming Sally, Fireweed, Great Willow Herb
Family: Onagraceae

Perennial, spreading by seed and creeping, fleshy white rhizomes. When it is in flower in large clumps it makes a striking feature - this gives rise to name Fireweed when a large stand is viewed from afar. The following fluffy seedheads make another show.
Introduced from North America in the 18th and 19th centuries as a garden plant, its invasive behaviour has allowed it to become naturalised. The young leaves have been used by indigenous North American tribes fresh in a salad or cooked vegetable. Young shoots can be prepared like asparagus and the pith of the stems is used to thicken soups and stews. The leaves make a tobacco substitute and a poultice will draw out infections. Recent studies have shown it to be anti-inflammatory with uses for nappy rash, sunburn and as a mouthwash. The pollen is claimed to produce good quality honey.
The pointed, lanceolate, hairless leaves are arranged alternately on the smooth stem; they turn red and yellow in autumn before the whole topgrowth dies back. From June to August violet or rose-purple flowers open gradually from the base of the racemes and the four petals are slightly notched. The long slender friut capsule matures to split lengthwise with four reflexed valves containing small seeds covered with white silky hairs that are carried away on the slightest breeze
Height - up to 120 cm.
Rosebay Willowherb is the main food-plant of the Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar.
Fork out the roots, but they are quite brittle. Does not survive repeated cutting or pulling. Do not allow seed-head to mature.
Weedkillers to use:-
Paraquat, Diquat kill on contact, repeat on regrowth.
Glyphosate, systemic action, taken down into underground parts.

See also Purple Loosestrife and Great Willowherb.

Rosebay Willowherb.

What a lovely name, thank you gentlemen.

Gladstone wrote:Rosebay Willowherb.

What a lovely name, thank you gentlemen.

hmmmmmm, its common name is " old fat slags fanny hair" so mibbes you ought to rethink your thoughts on it.

Immo wrote:We usedta make spears

Same in the Highlands, though we used to sharpen garden cane and fire them from bows as well