Goldenrod and Fireweed

If you get a moment to walk in the woods in fall - take it.  Newfoundland falls are so amazing.  The colour changes are dramatic and the smells are so different than any other time of the year.  If mosquitos and blackflies have kept you away, fall is your opportunity to reclaim outdoor spaces. 

Two native Newfoundland plants that you will see on roadsides and throughout the landscape is Goldenrod and Fireweed. They have been around all summer but seem to stand out in September when other plants are diminshed.

Goldenrod has a green top for much of the summer so blends in with the backdrop of all green. In late August and September they pop with tons of yellow blossoms. They provide a great source of nectar for bees and wasps trying to wrap up their seasons. Goldenrod grows to a metre tall or a bit less in Newfoundland.  It's such a outstanding plant that it's the state flower of Kentucky and Nebraska.



Fireweed is one of our province's coolest plants. It too grows along roadsides and is especially abundant on cut-overs and open spaces.  The name comes from its ability to quickly establish itself on burnt places.  Like Goldenrod, Fireweed can be easy to miss for much of the summer.  In August and through September the purple-pink flowers emerge. Into the fall a nice transition happens. The plant appears fuzzy and it's feathery parts detach to spread seeds.  Fireweed tends to grow more than a metre tall in Newfoundland.   


Get out there and check them out!
T.