Not far from a stream, nearly in the shade of trees, grow some tall plants. They just begin to flower.
To find Great Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum) you first have to find a stream, river or pond, because it needs water to flourish. It likes fertile soil, with humus or maybe nutrients brought with flooding.
It has a lot of small very pink flowers and conspicuous white, cross-shaped pistils. The stamens are rather understated by comparison.
The whole plant is covered in soft, velvety hairs that make it nice to the touch. Under the flowers, the growing fruits with a reddish tinge are already visible.
When the fruits ripen they burst open in four parts and from each part, small brown seeds with white feathery hairs appear. They will fly away.