Rosebay Willowherb

Rosebay Willowherb is a tall plant with pink flowers. It has alternate, lanceolate, slightly toothed leaves that are arranged in spiral formation up its stem.

Rosebay Willowherb is an example of a ‘pioneer species’. This is a plant that can colonise a barren area with very little competition, such as areas after a fire.

It was one of the first plants to colonise the bombed ground, after the London Blitz and was chosen as the County Flower for London. Rosebay Willowherb thrives on waste ground and can be seen on railway banks, old walls, forest clearings, beside train tracks, on recently disturbed ground and on river banks, from June to September.

Rosebay Willowherb is able to colonise new areas because of its seeds. Each plant produces up to 80,000 seeds. The seeds have silky hairs that act like a parachute making them able to disperse across long distances on the slightest breeze.

It is a common plant throughout England, Wales and south-east Scotland.