common jewelweed

Impatiens capensis

Common jewelweed is a bright orange flower that grows near water. Its leaves are soft and can help soothe skin irritations. It's a fun plant to find in the wild!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The common jewelweed has unique trumpet-shaped, orange flowers often spotted with reddish-brown, resembling dangling lanterns. Its delicate green leaves beautifully repel water, making droplets shimmer like liquid silver on their surface.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderEricalesFamilyBalsaminaceaeGenusImpatiens

common jewelweed

Interesting facts

Its hollow stems are so translucent you can almost see through them!

Native Americans traditionally used its juice for soothing insect bites.

Raindrops bead up like tiny, shiny jewels on its waterproof leaves.

Tiny hummingbirds love to sip the sweet nectar from its orange flowers!

Special abilities

Common jewelweed can forcefully eject its seeds when touched, ensuring they spread far from the parent plant.

Common jewelweed has leaves that instantly shed water, making raindrops look like mercury jewels.

Common jewelweed produces a sap that can help soothe skin irritations from plants like poison ivy.

Measurements & details

Height: 90-150 cm
Spread: 30-60 cm
Flower Size: 2-3 cm
Bloom Season: Summer to fall
Edible: No
Toxicity: Mild
Lifecycle: Annual
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

common eastern bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

collects nectar and pollen

pollinates

ruby-throated hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

drinks sweet nectar from blooms

eats

jewelweed aphid

Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum

feeds on plant's sap

Traits

Deciduous

Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Medicinal

Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.

Colorful

Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.