Epilobium canum
Desert Fuschia
Family: Onagraceae
This is a spreading plant growing not much more than a foot high but spreading as much as 5’. Blooms throughout the warm season with large, red, trumpet-shaped flowers that attract hummingbirds and many other pollinators. The plant usually available in our region is our native subspecies (Epilobium canum subsp. latifolium) which is the toughest and lowest-growing subspecies (there are 4 subspecies in total).
Grow in full to part sun, provide moderate to regular water. Though this is a riparian species, these plants are survivors and if they go through a period of drought, they can recover once the moisture returns. ,This species is hardy to 10° F.
Larval food plant for the white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata), and a genus of noctuid moths (Schinia spp) called flower moths. This plant is important to hummingbirds, and its natural distribution influences migration patterns. During the bad 2-year drought of 2020-2021, we still found plants in the field blooming when little else was.
Used medicinally for infected sores, for fever in children, for urinary problems, hemorrhages, as a cathartic, kidney troubles, tuberculosis, and syphilis. The flowers are edible, most often sucked for the sweet nectar.
Epilobium comes from Greek epi, meaning upon and lobos, meaning a pod or capsule—in reference to the flowers being superior, meaning that they sit above the developing seed capsules. The species name canum means off-white, or ashy (referring to the white hue of the gray-green foliage). Latifolium, the subspecies name, means flat leaf.
This plant was formerly known as Zauschneria californica and is often still sold under that name.
Found on dry slopes to wet soils from 4,000-7,000 ft in Arizona, California, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oregon and south into Baja California and Sonora, Mexico.
Epilobium canum subsp. latifolium on iNaturalist
Photo by Russ Kleinman, SEINET
There are 4 subspecies of Epilobium canum:
Epilobium canum subsp. angustifolium, Hummingbird Trumpet, (CA);
Epilobium canum subsp. canum, Hummingbird Trumpet, (CA);
Epilobium canum subsp. garrettii, Garrett's Firechalice, (AZ, ID, UT, WY);
Epilobium canum subsp. latifolium, Hummingbird Trumpet, (AZ, CA, NE, NM, OR).