1.  A tall North American perennial with narrow leaves and creeping rootstocks. It is a phoenix plant that can quickly establish itself in burned areas and disturbed soil. Fireweeds are the first plants to sprout in the wake of trauma to the landscape, bringing vibrancy and vital nutrients into the damaged ecosystem.  Extremely prolific, a single fireweed plant can scatter up to 80,000 seeds a year which then continue to proliferate, particularly in damaged landscapes.  The more damage, the more fireweeds.

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2. A metaphor for a human being that, despite (or because of) enduring a legacy of trauma (ie familial, cultural, environmental), demonstrates positive qualities such as resilience, creativity, strength, and mental flexibility.  Fireweeds bring an abundance of new ideas, and energy to their environment.  The more damage humandkind endures, the more fireweeds we are beginning to see among us.