John Denver could have sung about this old hill being like a long-lost friend. OK, I’ve paraphrased. He was actually singing about his farm.
A month away and the changes around here have been absolutely dramatic. The bluebells, the mayflowers, and the primroses. They’ve all had their moment and moved on. But the bracken, of course, is still on the rise. And the foxgloves are still managing to put on a show.
Now, there’s this one wild flower that you can find practically everywhere. Roadsides, woods, scree, rocks, waste places, in the middle of towns and cities, and yes, even in gardens. Talk about versatile. Not many plants can claim such a wide range of habitats, but rosebay willowherb sure can. It’s one of those jack-of-all-trades as to where it lays down its roots. No wonder they call it fireweed too, because it loves nothing more than scorched earth. Bombed sites from the Second World War did wonders for spreading this plant.
But back in the late 19th century, for botanists stumbling upon a specimen of rosebay willowherb was like hitting the jackpot. People would take it home and boast about their rare find for weeks on end. But, times have changed. Nowadays, you can’t avoid it. It’s everywhere, covering the ground in massive swathes with its purplish pink flowers, arranged in pyramid-like clusters, shooting up well over a metre high. And those stems, holding willow-like leaves that can reach up to six inches long.
Once rosebay gets established, it has this nifty system of spreading to other areas. When September rolls around and the flowers have done their thing, the seed pods develop. They’ve got four flaps that pop open, releasing thousands of cottony seeds. These catch the wind, and float around like they’re on a parachute, and travel for miles. Sometimes even cars and trains lend a hand with their draft.
There are a few other willowherbs out there, known for their long, narrow, willow-like leaves. But the rosebay variety is the one that dominates. It’s the superstar of the willowherb world, growing just about everywhere you turn. Even right here on Cliff Rigg.
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