Fireweed shoots are poking out in Yukon yards! Photo by Suzanne Crocker
Fireweed shoots are the asparagus of the North and our first vegetable of Spring!
The tender shoots are now poking up around the Yukon. They can be eaten raw, sauteed or steamed. The best part is, that even though they are being snipped, they will grow right back! Harvesting the shoots doesn’t damage the plant, so you can harvest some now for eating and then let them grow back to enjoy the flowers later in the season. The sweetest fireweed shoots are those cut when the leaves are still reddish. They are a good source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A
Fireweed is the official flower of the Yukon and its eye-catching fuchsia blossoms add an extra layer of beauty to the Yukon landscape.
But it is not just another pretty flower, all parts of the fireweed are edible. The young leaves can be eaten raw in salads or sautéed in a stir fry or with other greens. The flowers and buds make a beautiful garnish and can be used to make fireweed jelly.
Fireweed grows rapidly during a typical Northern summer, as the hours of daylight extend to more than 18 hours a day. As a result, the season for harvesting the shoots is very short, and you better get them fast before they grow too tall and become bitter.
If you live in the North, have a look in your yard or your garden and have a taste of a young fireweed shoot.
Fireweed shoots certainly are a delicious spring treat. Even though I’ve never tried it, this article makes me want to eat some. What months can I harvest fireweed when it’s still at the young shoot stage
Around Dawson City the fireweed shoots appear in early May, but if you live in a more southern latitude, they will appear earlier in the year whenever early spring is in your area and the leaf buds are appearing! For the foraging guide based on Yukon seasons: https://firstweeat.ca/foraging/
Is this the same plant that is said to be toxic? “Fireweed poisoning is often gradual, and ingestion occurs over a long period of time. Unfortunately, the alkaloids in fireweed cause irreversible liver damage, which can result in liver failure or death.” There is conflicting information on the web and the images of the plant look the same.
Fireweed shoots certainly are a delicious spring treat. Even though I’ve never tried it, this article makes me want to eat some. What months can I harvest fireweed when it’s still at the young shoot stage
Around Dawson City the fireweed shoots appear in early May, but if you live in a more southern latitude, they will appear earlier in the year whenever early spring is in your area and the leaf buds are appearing! For the foraging guide based on Yukon seasons: https://firstweeat.ca/foraging/
Is this the same plant that is said to be toxic? “Fireweed poisoning is often gradual, and ingestion occurs over a long period of time. Unfortunately, the alkaloids in fireweed cause irreversible liver damage, which can result in liver failure or death.” There is conflicting information on the web and the images of the plant look the same.
The fireweed that grows in the Yukon is chamerion angustifolium The leaves, flowers and shoots are all edible and non-toxic.