What is it?

[Mainer]

Found a whole bunch of these growing along creek here in central Oregon. Resemble orchids, but don't have a clue what they might really be.

 

[Sheal]

It looks like Willowherb to me (Chamaenerion Angustifolium) I believe you may know it as Fireweed.

 

[Meadowlark]

My first guess was fireweed also @Sheal but I wasn't sure it grows that far south...but a quick check says yes it does grow wild in Oregon.

 

[Sheal]

It's rife here in Britain @Meadowlark - a dreadful plant that self seeds profusely.

 

[Meadowlark]

Dreadful?

Interesting. I always admired it on visits to Alaska. I wasn't aware it is that widespread.

 

[Mainer]

Thank-you! Great article in Wikipedia:

Chamaenerion angustifolium - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Oregon has both volcanic soil and frequent forest fires, so no wonder this plant proliferates here.
Learned that bears and elk find it appetizing!

 

[DiggersJo]

Very interesting, to me this is a weed of our youth that appeared everywhere on waste land and especially railway sidings, bees love it.

 

[Meadowlark]

Those of you members who use AI for plant ID would you please run that photo through your AI for ID.

I ran it through the AI I use twice and got two different answers neither of which said fireweed which is what it appears to be. I mentioned the location was Oregon.

Just curious what you get?

 

[DiggersJo]

Visual search in Edge was poor and not fireweed id (which I'm sure it is) , but ChatGPT was straight in and correct. For me the latter has amazingly been poor in the last 2-3 weeks, something is seriously wrong with it!

 

[Sheal]

I won't use AI, sorry.

Rosebay willowherb | The Wildlife Trusts

A tall plant, Rosebay willowherb is a successful coloniser; it can form dense stands of bright pink flower spikes on disturbed ground, such as woodland clearings, verges and waste ground.

www.wildlifetrusts.org

 

[DiggersJo]

I won't use AI, sorry.

Rosebay willowherb | The Wildlife Trusts

A tall plant, Rosebay willowherb is a successful coloniser; it can form dense stands of bright pink flower spikes on disturbed ground, such as woodland clearings, verges and waste ground.

www.wildlifetrusts.org

Would you like to say why AI is not for you

 

[Sheal]

1) I gave up with it after four out of five answers wrong.
2) It's eventually going to put a lot of people out of work.

 

[Sheal]

@Mainer I took a number of images of Willowherb while out walking at the weekend. Would you be happy for me to post them here?

 

[Meadowlark]

Would you be happy for me to post them here?

Just in case @Mainer does not respond....YES.

 

[Sheal]

In the process of changing from flower to seed. These had collapsed due to dampness but you can get the gist of how many seeds are produced.