I love Jewelweed!!! It grows on my farm...when it wants to!!! Some years I don't see hide nor hair of it. Other years (wet years) it's all over the place. This year I have two great stands of it.
I use it for poison ivy remedies as Rocky Creek also grows poison ivy by the bushel basket fulls!!!
I love to "pick" the seeds and when that seed pod "pops" open, I always jump even though I know it's coming!! This is why a common name is "Touch-me-not".
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| Jewelweed Impatiens pallida |
Common Name: Jewelweed
Botanical name: Impatiens capensis (orange), Impatiens pallida (yellow)
Family Name: Balsaminaceae
Other Names: spotted jewelweed, spotted touch-me-not, orange balsam. Spotted or orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) grows orange flowers. Pale or yellow jewelweed (Impatiens pallida) has yellow flowers.
Systems: Integumentary
Therapeutic Actions: Herbal cortisone with no side effects. Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and all other itchy skin conditions from food allergies, skin fungus, etc. An astringent for deep facial cleansing after washing with soap for Acne type skin and some types of dermatitis. Relaxes itchy sensation, reduces redness and swelling, spider, bee, wasp and ant bites. Juice from the stems of jewelweed has been proven to be fungicidal and also used for athlete's foot. Antifungal and antimicrobial properties, bug bites and stings, athlete’s foot, minor burns, swelling around bruises, joint pain, anti-inflammation, use the SEEDS for the promotion of steady blood flow post-childbirth, and poisoning from fish.
Preparation: Freeze in ice trays and use topically. In the field, you can squash stems and leaves and then rub them on the skin to help prevent poison ivy.
If picked fresh, dry several hours to wilt to make oil.
SALVE: 1 oz dried: 1 cup olive oil. (Jewelweed has a high water content, takes a long time to dry, and requires a large amount of plant material.)
TINCTURE: fresh leaves/flowers: 100-proof vodka.
TEA: Handful in a small pot of cold water: bring to a boil until the water turns orange. Allow to cool.
COMPRESS OR FOMENTATION: In a saucepan combine a pint of water to a half ounce of flowers and leaves. Bring to ALMOST BOIL reduce or shut off heat, cover, and steep for 15-20 minutes. Strain and soak a cloth for about five minutes in the tea, wring it out and apply it to the affected area. Make jewelweed
SOAP (see instructions below in notes).
VINEGAR infusion: stuff the jar full of Jewelweed, cover it with Apple Cider Vinegar, add the non-metallic lid, and let steep for 4-6 weeks. Strain and use on the affected area as a spray or apply with a cotton ball.
Dosage: Drink tea to bring down swelling.
Harvest: Plant jewelweed in a shaded area where the soil remains moist; avoid full sun, dry, or drought conditions. Sow seeds close together so the plants can help to support each other as they develop taller stems but space seeds farther apart if you prefer shorter flowers. Choose slightly acidic soil to plant. Jewelweed does well in dappled sunlight to full shade. It can tolerate direct morning sun, but strong afternoon sun can be too harsh for the plants. Jewelweed is not hardy to cold temperatures, and exposure to frost can damage or kill it. It can survive fairly hot temperatures as long as it has sufficient shade and soil moisture. Likewise, it can tolerate a range of humidity levels, though it doesn't thrive in very dry conditions. Annual. 2–5 ft. tall, 1.5–2.5 ft. wide. Loves to grow around the water. Harvest leaves and flowers in Missouri in August
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Sun Exposure |
Partial, shade |
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Soil Type |
Moist |
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Soil pH |
Acidic, neutral |
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Bloom Time |
Summer, fall |
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Flower Color |
Orange, yellow |
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Hardiness Zones |
2–11 (USDA) |
Chemical constituents: 2-methoxy-1-(4-naphtho)quinine, an anti-inflammatory and fungicide that is the active ingredient of Preparation H.
Solubility: Water (x) Oil (x) Alcohol (x) Other ( ) This means what will draw out the medicinal constituents.
Culinary: Edible, but must be cooked before consumption to avoid diarrhea. Jewelweed seeds taste similar to walnuts. Avoid jewelweed if you are prone to kidney stones as it contains high levels of oxalates even after being cooked. The vibrantly colored yellow or orange flowers are also edible. To eat the leaves uncooked harvest them in early spring. If using the leaves in a salad, boil them for 10 minutes, dump the water, and refill with fresh water, then boil for another 10 minutes. Jewelweed leaves are a common natural stir-fry ingredient.
Folklore/Traditions: Potawatomi, Meskwaki, Southern Cherokee, Omaha, and Chippewa tribes have used this botanical for thousands of years. The leaves contain a natural antihistamine that reacts quickly to bring relief to many conditions. Poke small holes in the hollow stem to make a “flute whistle”.
Sources: Susan Weed, Herbalist. THE SPRUCE, SURVIVAL SULLIVAN, EARTH CLINIC,
NOTES:
How to Grow Jewelweed From Seed: Jewelweed is an annual and it will typically self-seed on its own without any help. However, if you want to strategically grow the plant in other areas of your yard, you can very easily propagate jewelweed with purchased or harvested seeds from its pods. Take these steps:
Put seeds through stratification to simulate winter temperatures. Two to three months before your area's projected last spring frost date put the seeds in the refrigerator.
Then, once the threat of frost has passed, sow the seeds directly in your garden just slightly covered with soil, as they need some light to germinate.
Make sure the soil remains moist, and you should see germination within a week or two, depending on soil temperature.
Or, you can start seeds in a small container. But then it's best to transplant seedlings to a container that can accommodate jewelweed's mature size rather than having to repot throughout the season. A 5-gallon container should suffice.
Potting and Repotting Jewelweed To grow jewelweed in a container, use a plastic pot with drainage holes. Fill it with a good-quality potting mix. Using a plastic pot will help the soil to retain moisture. Note that container plants generally need watering more frequently than those grown in the ground, so check moisture levels frequently on your potted jewelweed.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases Though jewelweed has few issues with pests and diseases, watch for mealybugs, which can be controlled using various methods, including spraying with insecticidal soap or wiping them off with rubbing alcohol. Be on the lookout for downy and powdery mildew, leaf spot, and botrytis blight. These fungal issues can be treated with fungicides. In addition, avoid overwatering, especially in humid conditions.
How Long Does Jewelweed Bloom? Jewelweed's flowers appear in the midsummer and continue into fall.
What Do Jewelweed Flowers Look and Smell Like? Jewelweed's flowers are unscented. They have four to five petals and stretch around 1 to 3 inches across. They're typically orange or yellow-orange with reddish spotting.
How to Encourage More Blooms Deadheading, or removing the spent blooms, isn't essential, though it can help to promote further blooming. But jewelweed generally blooms readily on its own without any special care from you.
Common Problems With Jewelweed When jewelweed grows in conditions it likes, it generally thrives and will spread vigorously. However, issues with its environment can be the cause of some problems.
Drooping Leaves Jewelweed plants will quickly droop if they don't have enough moisture. Especially in hot, dry conditions, it's important to check your jewelweed's moisture levels regularly. You might need to water multiple times per week in some climates.
Leaf Drop Jewelweed might lose its leaves due to prolonged drought. Frost also can cause leaf drop, which is why it's key not to plant until there's no more frost in the spring forecast.
What happens when you touch jewelweed? If something gently touches a jewelweed's slender seed pod when it's ripe, it splits open and explodes, dispersing seeds in all directions about a foot out which is why it's also commonly called touch-me-not. It's the plant's method of self-preservation since it can happen when birds try to open the pods to extract the seeds.
How can I collect jewelweed seeds? Collect mature jewelweed seeds from the plants' small pods in the early fall. Grab the ripe pod and hold it tightly in your hand so it explodes and discharges the seeds into your hand instead of on the ground. You can also try this with a bag over the pod or hold your hand in a bag to catch seeds. Plant them right away in your preferred location about 1/4 inch deep. This will expose them to the cold winter temperatures that they need to germinate in the spring.
Where does jewelweed grow? Jewelweed grows best when it fills in shady and/or boggy spots where many other plants won't grow. It can do well along the edges of ponds and other water features, as well as low-lying areas. Plus, it can be used to out-compete non-native species. Jewelweed's dense growth can discourage weeds, as well.
What's the difference between jewelweed and yellow jewelweed? Yellow jewelweed (Impatiens pallida) is a species related to Impatiens capensis, though it's less common than the orange-flower variety. Yellow jewelweed blooms are yellow with reddish spots, and they are larger than orange jewelweed blooms.
What are alternatives to jewelweed? If you're looking for flowers that will grow in shade, there are several other choices besides jewelweed. Consider coral bells, other impatiens species, bleeding heart, lungwort, and rhododendrons.
Jewelweed Soap Additive Mixture
Chop 1 cup jewelweed (leaves, stems, & flowers) and 1 cup plantain. Put in a bowl with just enough filtered water to cover them and put I refrigerator overnight. The next day, strain and discard (compost) the plant material called “marc”. The liquid will be greenish brown.
Mix in ½ cup chopped lavender flowers or 3 drops of lavender essential oil and 8 ounces coconut oil. (If your soap recipe already uses coconut oil, you can omit it.)
Add this mixture to your favorite soap recipe or a “melt n pour” soap base.
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