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Rosebay Willow-herb near Maiden Bradley

Named after its long, narrow, willow like leaves, the willow-herb grows as an upright spike covered with pink flowers.
Rosebay willow-herb, or fireweed, was a rare native species which suddenly began to spread in about 1860, perhaps as a result of genetic change; it is now everywhere, except the far west of Ireland, and is abundant on waste land round towns, in cleared woodland and road side verges.