Meaning & use
fireweed
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable or uncountable
A tall wild plant with pink-purple flowers that quickly grows in land cleared or burned by fire.
Grammar: Can be used as a countable noun (a fireweed) or uncountable (fireweed covers the field).
Patterns
- a patch of fireweed
- fireweed grows
- fireweed flowers
After the forest fire, fireweed was the first plant to appear.
The hillside was covered in bright pink fireweed.
Fireweed is common in disturbed areas across North America.
Word forms
| plural | fireweeds |
|---|
Common combinations
- fireweed honey
- Fireweed honey is prized for its delicate flavor.
- fireweed seeds
- Fireweed seeds are dispersed by the wind.
- fireweed plant
- The fireweed plant can grow up to 2 meters tall.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rosebay willowherb
- The common British name for the same plant (Chamaenerion angustifolium).
- great willowherb
- A related plant, but not exactly the same species.
Word family
- weed noun
- A wild plant growing where it is not wanted.
Commonly confused: fireweed or ragweed?
fireweed vs ragweed
Ragweed is a different plant that causes allergies; fireweed is a tall pink-flowered plant.
Practice
Where does fireweed typically grow?
Choose one answer.
Fireweed is known for growing quickly in areas that have been burned or cleared, such as after a forest fire.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fireweed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.