Depending upon depth of rhizomes in the soil, fireweed is moderately susceptibile to resistant to fire. An important off-site colonizer after fire. Small mammals, such as chipmunks, eat seeds. Butterflies use nectar and pollen. Floral emblem of the Yukon Territory.
Bees produce a delicious honey from the flowers.
Flowers rose pink. Fruit narrow, red or green seed pods that split and release a multitude of tiny, fluffy, white seeds. Seed dispersal by wind. Airborne seeds allow fireweed to establish rapidly. Requires bare mineral soil in addition to high light for germination.