Jewelweed

Jewelweed is a North American common name for a number of species of flowering plant in the genus Impatiens, family Balsaminaceae, native to eastern North America. The plant typically grows about 1 to 1.5m tall, and dies after one season. Like other Impatiens, Jewelweed is notable for having seed pods which burst when touched, spreading seeds over several square meters.

Spotted jewelweed (or orange jewelweed), Impatiens capensis, has orange flowers, and pale jewelweed (or yellow jewelweed), Impatiens pallida, has yellow flowers (rarely cream-colored flowers).

These are plants of moist, rich soils in valleys and stream-bottoms. The pale jewelweed tends to grow slightly taller and to tolerate somewhat shadier sites than the orange jewelweed, while the orange jewelweed is more common and more able to grow in disturbed areas.

Both have been used as preventatives and palliatives for poison ivy rash. One may take the whole plant, crush it into a ball, and vigorously rub it into the exposed area. Or, crush some jewelweed stems in a container, and use a cotton ball to soak up the juice. Spread it on the rash as soon as possible.

An unfortunate story, often repeated, is that "Wherever poison ivy is found, jewelweed grows close by." This is completely untrue; poison ivy grows in a wide variety of habitats, while jewelweed is restricted to moist bottomlands and valleys with rich soil. The reverse is true — wherever jewelweed is found, poison ivy is usually close by. Jewelweed grows in sunny wet areas, like ditches on the roadside. The 1 cm (1/2 inch) long flowers are shaped like a shoe. Some plants have orange flowers with dark spots. Some plants have plain yellow flowers.