The current paper provides an overview of the plant epilobium canum. The main features of the plant are described, the threats to the survival of the plant in the future are considered, and the role of the plant and its potential uses are elaborated. In addition, a number of images of this plant are provided in the Appendix at the end of this paper.
The Plant and Its Key Benefits
Epilobium canum is a plant that is also known by the name of California fuchsia. Also, common names of this species include hummingbird trumpet, hummingbird flower, and firechalice. It is a representative of the genus epilobium (willowherbs), one that belongs to the family Onagraceae. Epilobium canum is a herbaceous subshrub that is perennial. It should be noted that this plant is native to several states of the USA which are located in southwestern areas of the country, such as California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and some others (United States Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2016). When it comes to its appearance, epilobium canum possesses toothed leaves that may range in color from green to white, are ovate or lanceolate, and feature pubescence (USDA, 2016). The flowers of the plant are orange-red to scarlet when it comes to color; they are located on short axillary stems; their shape is tubular-funnel (USDA, 2016). The plant reaches 1 to 3 feet in height.
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"Epilobium Canum: An Overview".
The plant has a number of benefits. For instance, it serves as a critical source of nectar for a wide variety of hummingbirds in the western parts of the USA. This is because of the late season blooms of this plant that continue during dry and hot months of the summer in which there is a dearth of other sources of nectar (USDA, 2016). It is stated that the plant frequently has more than 250 blooms for every of its flowers so as to increase the activity of pollinators (USDA, 2016).
Threats and Challenges to Continued Survival of the Plant
On the whole, the species epilobium canum is highly resistant to droughts and face few threats to its continued survival. However, two of the subspecies of this species, namely, subspecies canum and subspecies angustifolium, are Californian endemics. The populations of these subspecies are quite scarce, and are not distributed over large areas of land. It is stated that these subspecies face risks related to climate changes, as well as to encroachment of humans causing the loss of their habitat (USDA, 2016).
The Role of the Plant
Generally speaking, epilobium canum may be employed for the purpose of control of erosion and improvement of the environment. This plant features rhizomatous roots that serve as an effective means of reinforcing the soils. It should be highlighted that the plant possesses a strong degree of resistance to scorching sun, and easily withstands wind and heat (USDA, 2016). Combined with the unpalatability of epilobium canum for deer, these features mean that the said plant may be perfect for reinforcing dry slopes that acquire a large amount of sunlight.
Conclusion
All in all, it should be stressed that epilobium canum is a species of a subshrub that grows in hot, dry climates and blooms over prolonged periods of time. This makes it essential for the hummingbirds, for other sources of nectar are lacking in these conditions. Several subspecies of this plant that are endemic to California face threats due to the limited nature of their populations, climate change, and the encroachment of humans. The plant may be utilized for the benefit of environment, namely, to control the erosion and to reinforce the soils. The high resistance of the plant to the lack of water and abundance of scorching sand make it an excellent choice for reinforcing dry and sunny slopes where not many other plants may grow.
- United States Department of Agriculture. (2016). California fuchsia: Epilobium canum. Retrieved from https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_epca3.pdf
