Spotted jewelweed
Impatiens capensis
-Description
Spotted jewelweed is an annual shrub-like plant native to North America. It grows in wet, moist areas and in forests, anywhere near a small, still body of water like a swamp or marsh. It gets the name "jewelweed" from its translucent green leaves, whose underside turns silver when submerged underwater. Spotted jewelweed is nicknamed "spotted touch-me-not", because the plant's green seed pods explode when you handle them. The leafy plant grows up to five feet tall, and leaves and flowers grow out from green, easily-breakable stems. The trumpet-shaped flowers are light orange and speckled with dark orange dots, and they hang off their stems.
-Parts used/medicinal uses
Jewelweed is used as an effective treatment for poison ivy, poison oak, stinging nettle sting, bee stings, bug bites, various rashes, and inflamed skin as it has cooling, anti-itch, and anti-inflammatory properties, which can come in handy if you enjoy hiking in forests. Jewelweed is also usually found in the same areas as poison ivy, so you can have the remedy right when you need it. To treat the above-mentioned problems on-spot, break off a stem that hasn't flowered yet and squeeze the juices onto the cut, rash, or sting. An infusion of the leaves can be used immediately or frozen for future use. A helpful tip is to freeze the liquid in ice cube trays and rub the cubes on your skin when needed. Internally, jewelweed tea is used as a diuretic (eliminates excess fluid from the body).
-Look alike
Spotted jewelweed is the cousin of the more rare pale jewelweed, whose flowers are a light yellow.
-Other names
Orange jewelweed, common jewelweed, spotted touch-me-not, orange balsam.
-article by Elisa
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