And there in the woods...

Spotted Jewelweed or Touch-Me-Not

(Impatiens capensis)

There is a whole thicket of these colorful critters flowering along the creek in the woods, and we (Beau and I) were happy to find them last weekend.

Jewelweed is a wild North American herbal with known medicinal benefits, one used by indigenous cultures for centuries. Infusions made with the leaves are used to treat measles and fevers, poultices with the bruised stems for the pain and itching of skin ailments like poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. The plant contains compounds which neutralize uroshiol, the chemical which causes contact dermatitis, and it is a splendid addition to one's wild medicine chest.

Jewelweed is also an important nectar source for hummingbirds, and they are usually about when it is in bloom. When hummers reach into the bell-shaped blooms with their long beaks and brush up against nearby seed pods, the pods explode, propelling the contents several feet into the air, hence another name, Touch-Me-Not. 

Although an annual, jewelweed is persistent and prolific. For years, I cultivated it in my garden, and thanks to the exploding seed pods, it showed up everywhere - keeping it in check was quite an undertaking. For all that, I have just harvested seeds from the thicket in the woods and am thinking about having another go. It is cheerful stuff, and I like the freckled faces on the blooms. In addition to being a "tried and true" wild medicinal, jewelweed also provides nourishment for hummers, bees and other insects, and that makes it a clear winner in my book.