Spotted Jewelweed
Impatiens capensis
Summary 2
Impatiens capensis, the orange jewelweed, common jewelweed, spotted jewelweed, spotted touch-me-not, or orange balsam, is an annual plant native to North America. It is common in bottomland soils, ditches, and along creeks, often growing side-by-side with its less common relative, Yellow Jewelweed (I. pallida).
Description 3
Family:
Balsaminaceae (Touch-me-not)
Height:
3 to 5 feet
Leaves and Stems: Alternate, oval with larger teeth (1-4 inches long) on short stalks. Stems are thick, nearly hollow, and juicy when broken or cut.
Flower:
Orange with an open mouth and curved spur, reddish spots (0.75 to 1 inch long). When the seedpods are ripe they explode when touched, giving this plant its other common name of spotted-touch-me-not.
Bloom time:
June-September
Nicknames:
Orange Jewelweed, Spotted Touch-Me-Not, Horns of Plenty, Snapweed, Wild Celandine, Ear Drop
Habitat:
Disturbed areas, shorelines
Wildlife Benefits:
Nectar source for hummingbirds. Provides cover for frogs.
Can I plant this in my garden?
Jewelweed can be planted in gardens if they are moist to wet and rich in organic matter. It can grow in full shade or full sun. It is an annual plant that can spread prolifically from seeds; unwanted plants can be easily pulled by hand.
References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/spotted-touch-me-not
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/wetland/plants/or_jewelweed.htm
Range 3
Sources and Credits
- (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
- Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impatiens_capensis
- (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
- iNat taxon page
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- BOLD Systems BIN search
- Calflora
- CalPhotos
- eFloras.org
- Flora of North America (beta)
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
- Go Botany
- HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
- IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
- Jepson eFlora
- Maryland Biodiversity Project
- NatureServe Explorer 2.0
- NBN Atlas
- OregonFlora.org
- SEINet Symbiota portals
- Tropicos
- USDA PLANTS database
- VASCAN by Canadensys
- World Flora Online
iNat Map
| Family | Balsaminaceae |
|---|---|
| Habit | Forb |
| Life cycle | annual |
| Origin | native |
| Flower | orange |
| Bloom time | (6) June, (7) July, (8) August, (9) September |
| *sites | Gervais Mill Pond, Lake Phalen, Snail Lake |
