Harebell vs Fireweed - TreeTime.ca

Harebell vs Fireweed

Chamaenerion angustifolium (Epilobium angustifolium)

Campanula rotundifolia

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Fireweed
Harebell

Fireweed is a native perennial wildflower known for its tall spikes of bright pink to purple blooms. Its long-lasting summer flowers are an important nectar source for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, while its seeds provide food for birds. Its showy, long-lasting display makes it visually striking in naturalized plantings.

Fireweed gets its namesake because it is often one of the first species to return after wildfires, supporting ecosystem recovery. Its wind-dispersed seeds allow it to spread readily, making it highly effective in large-scale restoration, revegetation, and naturalization projects.
Fireweed is the Provincial Flower of the Yukon.

Harebell is a native perennial wildflower known for its bell-shaped, blue-violet flowers. The noddling blooms occur in clusters at the top of slender stems. Blooming in bursts from summer to fall, the flowers attract pollinators such as butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

Regular deadheading encourages additional blooms, extending its floral display through the season. Harebell prefers areas with cooler summer climates and does poorly in those that get too hot and humid. It is well suited for native wildflower gardens, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects.

As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Fireweed Quick Facts

Harebell Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 3a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, dense, colony-forming
Spreading: seeds - high, rhizomes - high
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: pink-purple spikes
Flowers: bluish-purple; bell-like
Bloom time: mid summer to fall
Bloom time: summer to early fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: fire weed, great willowherb, rosebay willowherb, willow herb
Other Names: bluebell, bluebell bellflower, bluebell of scotland, common harebell, cuckoos shoe, ladys thimble, scotch bluebell, scottish bluebell, witches thimble