Spotted Jewelweed
Scientific Name: Impatiens capensis
Category: plant
Brief Description
A succulent-stemmed annual plant with dangling, orange, pouch-shaped flowers spotted with reddish-brown.
Characteristics
Grows 2 to 5 feet tall with translucent, succulent stems. Leaves are alternate, simple, and egg-shaped with toothed margins. The flowers are irregular and pendant, featuring a curved nectar spur at the back and speckled orange petals.
Habitat
Typically found in damp, shady areas such as stream banks, wetlands, damp thickets, and ditches throughout North America.
When to Find It
Blooms from mid-summer through early autumn (June to October). Water droplets often collect on its leaves in the morning, creating a silvery sheen.
Conservation Status
N/A
Ecological Role
An important nectar source for long-tongued insects, especially bumblebees and hummingbirds, which are able to access the nectar in the curved spur.
Easily Confused With
Pale Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida), which has pale yellow flowers instead of orange.
Observation Tips
Look along moist woodland trails or near bodies of water in summer. Touch the mature seed pods to witness the explosive seed dispersal mechanism.
Interesting Facts
The common name 'touch-me-not' comes from the ripe seed pods that burst open explosively when gently squeezed, flinging seeds several feet away.