Yukon Fireweed

The Whitehorse Star 1957

Yukon Fireweed

The Fireweed, the official floral emblem of the Yukon Territory, was chosen by members of the Yukon Territorial Government on March 27, 1957.

It was made official the following November, when the Ordinance naming the “epilobium angustifolium” as the Yukon flower was passed.

Throughout June, July, and August, the fireweed springs up along the Alaska Highway and every other Yukon road in a never-ending border of purple color.

It covers the scenes of old forest-fire areas, and stretches for miles on the mountain sides. Because it is so common in every part of the Yukon, and because it is so hardy and beautiful, it was a natural choice as a floral emblem.

The fireweed’s stalk-type blossoms range in color from orange-scarlet buds to purply-mauve flowers, all in one plant, which sometimes grows to a height of four feet. Occasionally a white one may be seen.

In the far north, its Arctic sister “elipobium latifolium” produces the same lovely flower on a squat four-inch high plant. “Angustifolium” means narrow-leaved; the hardy Arctic plant is wider-leaved.