PlantFiles: Spotted Jewel Weed, Touch-Me-Not
Impatiens capensis

Hi Everyone

I remember having this plant in my yard growing up and loved to pop the seed heads. I have always seen the orange or yellow variety. Has anyone ever seen this plant in a lavender and white variety? I saw some plants at our local zoo and collected some seeds. Should they be planted outside now or in the spring?

This species have took hold in my grandma's clay soil and is a profic seeder, so it is tough to get rid of them it's easy to miss five or more plants - they will overshadow smaller plants.

Grows on woodland edges but also in perennial beds, where it has to be removed regularly. Looking for controls other than pulling when it appears, though it is easily identified.

I've observed this plant growing in the wild along the side of the road or woods, where moist and shady areas occur, usually in the proximity of a stream.

As already stated, the plant soothes skin irritations and is an excellent source for hummingbirds. It's said that no matter where jewel weed is on the property, hummingbirds will find it.

Since it's such a delicate annual, this plant needs to spring the seeds in-order to find the most favorable spot to ensure some seedling's success and thus, carrying on the cycle.

Even if prolific (which I've never observed as such), the plant is easily pulled up cleanly.

This is a weed in my garden but I enjoy it just the same.

Folklore tells us that the Spotted Jewel Weed usually grows right next to the poison ivy that it relieves. In my case, that's absolutely true. It does grow adjacent to poison ivy in my neck of the woods...and it has definitely kept me out of trouble while trying to get rid of the poisonous plant in my flower beds. If I accidently "whip" poison ivy across my bare skin, I immediately crush the Spotted Jewel Weed leaves in my hands and rub them over the area, I'm assured that I'll not break out. For me, it works better than anything I can buy at the drugstore.

So wherever Spotted Jewel Weed chooses to put itself in my yard, it's an honored guest. :-)

~julie~

I like the way this stuff looks, but it self-seeds prolifically in my damp yard and along roadsides and waste places in elsewhere in the Catskills. My Woodstock friends tell me it is a mild hallucinogen.

I found this plant in my back yard of Western Kentucky. It is used as a natural herbal remedy for : poison ivy/oak, okra spines, stinging nettle and soothes bug bites and razor burn. The seeds are considered edible if you can catch them because they explode when touched. You can blend the stems and leaves with a little water and freeze in ice cube trays of simply crush and rub stem on poison ivy rash. The orange & red trumpet shaped flower has 3 petels and is 'strongly zygomorphic'. The stem and sepal are attached near the face of the flower and petels extend downward. Leaves are pale green and soft, ovated w/ rounded teeth. Seed's are elongated corn-ear-shaped 1 inch long with 4 flaps that come together. Flowers are 1 inch long and it flowers from July to Sept. If the leaf is held under water it has a silver sheen. Be careful because this plant is usually found near poison ivy/oak. Likes shade and plenty of water.

This magnificent wild impatiens sports a beautiful orange or yellow flower (Pale Jewelweed), like a small Orchid. They grow in profusion in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, particularly in moist areas. The stem is fleshy and the sap has definite beneficial uses. When applied to the skin, it stops the itch of insect bites, poison ivy, nettle stings, and athlete's foot. It contains a natural fungicide (Reader's Digest North American Wldlife). We have used the sap and it definitely works!
Seeds are in a long pod that is "spring loaded" with the seeds being propelled out almost explosively when touched! To gather seed, clasp palm around the ripe pod and keep hand closed to prevent losing the seed. They open themselves if ripe. If pods do not "pop" when touched, they are not ready to gather. The plants also self-seed.
Plants can reach up to five or six feet in ideal conditions, but are more usually two to four feet in height. They grow well on creek banks.
The small Carpenter Bees, Bumble Bees, and Orchard bees love these flowers and are the prime pollenators.
Jennie

Soon after blooming the plant will form small, bean like pods that when mature will pop open when touched expelling the seeds in all directions. It is best to have a zip lock plastic bag placing it over the seed pod then touching the pod to cause it to open. Seeds can be planted immediatly in wet soil or sand and it does very well as a margin plant in a home pond and will grow in water alone. seeds can be saved till fall ,but do not allow them to dry out. This is a great humming bird plant. Due to the high moisture content of the stems, this plant will die after a solid freeze.