Chapters 6.23
6.23 -River Beauty(Chamaenerion latifolium)
Liezebet van der Meijden , University of Guelph, Canada
Suggested citation for this chapter.
Van Der Meijden,L. (2022) Greens, Fleshy Stems and Gourds. In The Student Encyclopedia of Canadian Indigenous Foods. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.firstnationsfoods.org/
Introduction
River Beauty (Chamaenerion latifolium) played an important role in Indigenous culture. Traditional Indigenous communities would harvest this perennial plant from the wild and use it in their everyday lives. These flowers are still seen growing in the wild today and the species is Greenland’s national flower. In Greenlandic, the species is called: Niviarsiaq, meaning “young girl” (Germany, 2017). It is also the floral emblem of the Yukon (Durkee, 2019). The purpose of this paper is to provide information to educate Canadians about the history and future possibilities of the river beauty.
Description
River beauty is a species of flowering plant that is part of the Fireweed family and goes by the common names dwarf fireweed, arctic fireweed, broad-leaf willow-herb (Adamczak et al., 2019) and alpine fireweed (Brinker, 2017). In native, Inuktitut the plant also goes by a few names, the common ones being: Paunnat; paunnait, boundnak or paunnaq (Adamczak et al., 2019). River Beauty is a sub species of Fireweed, which is a tall wildflower that grows from the subalpine zone down to sea level (Vizgirdas, 2015). It is the first plant to grow back after a fire has burned an area (Vizgirdas, 2015). The binomial name of river beauty is Chamaenerion latifolium but it is also known by the binomial name; Epilobium latifolim L. This flower has been used by Canadian Indigenous peoples for many years and it appeared they used the different sub-species in the same way and for similar purposes (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991). For the purpose of this paper, river beauty and Fireweed will be grouped together unless otherwise stated.
River Beauty is a part of the evening primrose family and is native to the alpine habitat in the Northern Hemisphere, including Northern North America (Nunavut, Yukon, NWT, Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec), as well as Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, and southern Asia (Brinker, 2017). River Beauty is a pink flowering plant that grows in tall woody clusters of varying shapes with a branched stem growing 5-40 cm tall and has a compact raceme flower head (Knoke & Giblin, 2017). It is a perennial that grows in clumps with leaves of different sizes, above a woody stem. (Knoke & Giblin, 2017). The leaves can be pointed or rounded and are oval shaped growing 2-6 cm long and are alternating along the stem (Aiken, et al., 2007). Like most arctic plants the leaves die at the end of each growing season (Aiken, et al., 2007). The flowers are vibrant pink with round petals up to 5 cm and have an inflorescence of a rough raceme (Tabish, 2012). It grows along riverbanks, in rocky, moist, rich to dry soils and prefers open land (Brinker, 2017). It is the first plant to grow after forest fires or in areas that were recently burned (Rogers, 2014).
Historical Background
Since all parts of the plant are edible and some can be used for medicine, the river beauty was commonly used in different northern Indigenous cultures. There are notes of many different people groups using the plant differently from eating it raw, boiling it to preserving them in oil or drying them (Kuhnlein, 1991). The Inupiaq Eskimo of Alaska would pick the leaves in the spring when the plant was young and marinate them in seal oil which in 48 hours would turn the leaves a slimy black (Kuhnlein, 1991). When the plants were young the Seward Peninsula and Bering Sea Eskimo would collect them and mix the river beauty with other greens, some with flower heads still attached to make a raw salad type dish (Kuhnlein, 1991). The Bella Coola people mix the leaves with crowberries, blood, or fat (Rogers, 2014). River beauty can also be used to make a tea that is helpful in relieving stomach aches and regaining strength after losing a large amount of blood (Aiken et al, 2007). In Greenland, they pair the raw leaves with seal blubber (Kuhnlein, 1991). In parts of Russia they would use it in a fish dish by boiling it with fish and saving the leaves to make tea (Rogers, 2014). To preserve the plant for the winter months, it would be dried, stored in oil, or pickled (Kuhnlein & Turner 1991).
Geographic Origins
The River beauty can be found growing in the wild along river bars, rocky stream banks, snowmelt areas, on burned or logged land from sea level to rocky mountain slopes (Knoke & Giblin, 2017). As noted earlier the river beauty has many different names and this is due to its widely diverse geographic distribution throughout the Northern Hemisphere (Brinker, 2017). As shown in figure 1, river beauty can be found throughout most of North America, with a higher density in the northern parts and little to none being evident in the South of the United States (Durkee, 2019). Globally, it is commonly found growing in the wild in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, northern Europe, parts of the middle east and in southern Asia (Durkee, 2019).
Due to it growing naturally in many different parts of the world, this plant will grow well in many different climates and growing conditions. It is adapted to maritime and continental climates with short warm summers and long cold winters. It grows best with a consistent supply of water and therefore is often found in moist soils, such as areas near valleys or runoff areas with soil consisting of clay, gravel, or silt (Shebitz, 2003). Preferring to grow in these rocky or sandy type soils, river beauty is a very hardy plant and can endure growing in almost any soil type, tolerating a pH level of alkaline soil to neutral to acidic (Durkee, 2019). It has been noted to be a natural colonizer of oil spill sites but will not grow as well in soils with low mineral nutrition or waterlog (Fleenor, 2016).
Association with Indigenous Peoples
Due to river beauty flowers growing in many parts of the world where First Nations and Indigenous groups originated, the plant plays a roll in many different cultures. The main people groups that were recorded to have used this plant in North America include Nuxalk people, Bella Coola people, Kaigani Haida of Alaska, Inupiaq Eskimos, Saint Lawrence Island Eskimo, Seward Peninsula Eskimo, Bering Sea Eskimo, Inuit of Broughton Island, Squamish people, the Lillooet, and the Blackfoot (Kuhnlein & Turner, 1991). In Russia, the main group known for using this plant were the Kamtschadalis people of eastern Russia (Rogers, 2014). The many different groups of people had different ways to use the plant weather it be for consumption or medical purposes. A more detailed look at how the different Indigenous groups used the different parts of the river beauty can be found under “Consumption and Uses”.
Consumption and Uses
As mentioned, the many different Indigenous groups that were recorded to have used river beauty in some way had a variety of different methods and uses for the flowering plant. All parts of the plant including the leaves, stem, flowers, and roots can be eaten raw or cooked to make a medicine tea (Rogers, 2014). When young the leaves and shoot tips can be put in salads or eaten as vegetables, it is noted that they taste similar to asparagus (Durkee, 2019). The Nuzalk, Bella Coola and Kaigani Haida people of Alaska would eat the inner stems raw for its sweet taste and high sugar content (Kuhnlein & Turner 1991). The leaves can be dried and made into a sweet tea, the Russians call it “Kaporie tea” and it is still made today (Durkee, 2019). The Woods Cree of Saskatchewan used the whole plant to make a tea for intestinal parasites (Rogers, 2014) and the Western Eskimo and Tanaina Indians dried just the leaves and made tea for the colder months (Kuhnlein & Turner 1991). Early French settlers pickled the unopened buds like capers and saved them for the winter months (Rogers, 2014). Many groups also ate them raw or boiled with oil, fish, or meat dishes (Kuhnlein & Turner 1991). Other uses include natural food for wildlife, pollinator habitat and growing on reclaimed soil (Fleenor, 2016). It is recorded that river beauty is eaten by deer, cattle, moose, caribou, muskrat and hares, all wildlife that played a significant role in Indigenous hunting (Fleenor, 2016). River Beauty is also an important plant for pollinators such as bees and could have been used as a recourse to make honey by Indigenous groups (Fleenor, 2016). It was also used as the first plant to grow and promote nutrient growth back into the soil after the land has been reclaimed by fire therefore helping Indigenous people to use land that would have been otherwise unusable (Durkee, 2019). The natives of Puget Sound discovered the plant had insulating qualities and would weave it into mountain goat hair to make waterproof blankets or to make bandages (Rogers, 2014). The Coastal First Nations People would use it to make fishing nets by drying the stems and then peeling and twisting them (Fleenor, 2016).
Benefits to Humans
The leaves of fireweeds and flowers can be made into a paste and used to help skin conditions such as eczema, acne, burns and wounds (Rogers, 2014). River Beauty tea is good for treating stomach aches, whooping cough, asthma, and intestinal complications (Durkee, 2019). Externally, it can be used as an antiphlogistic and antiseptic agent in treating minor burns, skin rashes, ulcers, mycoses, and inflammation (Adamczak, et al, 2019). Other species of fireweed traditionally were used in folk medicine to help with stomach disorders and in the USA, it is recommended by herbalists to be used to treat cases of colic (Adamczak, et al, 2019). The leaves and flowers are used in salads and as an alternative green (Kuhnlein, 1991). It is also beneficial to human health because it contains an organic chemical called polyphenols which can help to mange blood pressure levels, promote good circulation, and reduce inflammation in the body (Durkee, 2019).
Limitations
The limitation of river beauty is that it is a poor competitor and therefore only grows well in sparsely begeted sites (Brinker, 2017). This means that it is harder to grow in areas with other plants. It is noted that river beauty can be particularly sensitive to climate change and might be vulnerable to not adapting to warming climates (Brinker, 2017). This might limit the interest of growing it for commercial use due to it not being compatible in some warmer climates. River Beauty would also have a much smaller and lower yield than any other crop that could be used for similar purposes. For instance, if we compare growing rates of river beauty to asparagus, a plant it tastes similar to when boiled (Durkee, 2014) it is evident that the yield of asparagus would be much higher and therefore the first choice for producers. This is because asparagus has been genetically enhanced by generations of selection and farmers selecting their plants with the highest yield and highest nutritional content to take seeds from. A harvest of river beauty would have to be much larger to match the production of any plant used for similar things.
Many natural habitats have been destroyed and urbanized, leaving the native plants such as the river beauty no appropriate habitats to grow on. If we want to keep native plants around, we must do more of an effort to protect lands where they grow best.
References
1.Brinker, S. R. (2017). Discovery of Chamaenerion latifolium (L.) Holub (Onagraceae) in the Great Lakes Region. Ontario: The Great Lakes Botanist. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331132119_Discovery_of_Chamaenerion_latifolium_L_Holub_Onagraceae_in_the_Great_Lakes_Region
2.Durkee, A.. (2019) Stress Tolerant Epilobium latifolium, or "River beauty", Provides Eye-Catching Color to Any Landscape. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/208646.
3.Germany, L.. (2017). Niviarsiaq – Greenland’s National Flower. Greenland: Guide to Greenland. https://guidetogreenland.com/travel-blogs/lisa-germany/niviarsiaq-greenlands-national-flower/?affiliate=5#:~:text=The%20national%20flower%20of%20Greenland%20belongs%20to%20the%20evening%20primrose,in%20mid%2DAugust%20this%20year.
4.Fleenor, R., (2016). Plant Guide for Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_chan9.pdf
5.Knoke, D., Giblin D. (2017). Chamaenerion latifolium. Washington USA: Burke museum. Retrieved from: http://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Chamaenerion%20latifolium
6.Kuhnlein ,H, V. Turner, N, J. (1991)Traditional Plant Foods Of Canadian Indigenous Peoples Nutrition, Botany And Use. Amsterdam B.V: Gordon And Breach Publishers https://www.fao.org/3/ai215e/ai215e.pdf
7.Rogers, R. D. (2014). Fireweed - a treasured medicine of the boreal forest. Edmonton: discoverysys inc.
8.Shebitz, D. (2003). Fireweed Plant Data Sheet. Greater Seattle: Arther Lee Jacobson Publisher. https://depts.washington.edu/propplnt/Plants/epilobium.htm
9.Tabish. (2012). River Beauty Flowers of India. India: Linux Powers. http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/River%20Beauty.html
10.Vizgirdas, E. (2015). Plant of the week: Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium). USA: https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/chamerion_angustifolium.shtml