Fireweed vs Twinflower - TreeTime.ca

Fireweed vs Twinflower

Chamaenerion angustifolium (Epilobium angustifolium)

Linnaea borealis

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Fireweed
Twinflower

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.

Twinflower is a native, trailing evergreen ground cover known for its delicate flowers that grow in nodding pairs. These pale pink blooms are described as being sweetly fragrant, attracting native bees and other pollinators.
Growing in cool, moist, acidic soils, the trailing stems form roots as they spread and start to form mats across the forest floor. Due to its woody stem, it is technically classified as a shrub and often referred to as a subshrub or dwarf shrub. This species is well-suited for naturalization, restoration, and conservation projects.
Twinflower (Linneae borealis) was named in honour of Carl Linnaeus, who adopted it as his personal emblem.

Fireweed Quick Facts

Twinflower Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 2a
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Height: 0.1 m (0.4 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: slow
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, dense, colony-forming
Growth form: creeping or trailing, ground cover
Spreading: seeds - high, rhizomes - high
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low
Maintenance: medium


Fall colour: reddish tinge
Flowers: pink-purple spikes
Flowers: Pink, bell-shaped, fragrant pairs
Bloom time: mid summer to fall
Bloom time: summer
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: northern twinflower, pink bells