Fireweed vs Yellow Hedysarum - TreeTime.ca

Fireweed vs Yellow Hedysarum

Hedysarum sulphurescens

Chamaenerion angustifolium (Epilobium angustifolium)

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Yellow Hedysarum
Fireweed

Yellow Hedysarum is a native perennial wildflower recognized for its clusters of pale yellow to creamy-white, pea-like blooms. Flowering from late spring into summer, it adds subtle colour to grasslands, roadsides, and open woods while attracting a variety of pollinators, especially bumblebees.

As a nitrogen-fixing plant, Yellow Hedysarum enriches soils and supports the growth of surrounding vegetation. Its deep taproot and extensive root system make it drought-tolerant and effective at stabilizing soil. Grizzly bears are known to dig up and eat the nutritious taproot. Its resilience and ecological value make it well-suited for restoration, naturalization, pollinator gardens, and erosion control projects.

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.

Yellow Hedysarum Quick Facts

Fireweed Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 1a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Spread: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: ascending to upright
Growth form: upright, dense, colony-forming
Spreading: seeds - low
Spreading: seeds - high, rhizomes - high
Maintenance: medium


Flowers: creamy yellow, in dense spikes
Flowers: pink-purple spikes
Bloom time: late spring to summer
Bloom time: mid summer to fall
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: sulphur hedysarum, sulphur sweet-vetch, yellow sweet-vetch
Other Names: fire weed, great willowherb, rosebay willowherb, willow herb