Impatiens capensis: Country Or Region Of Origin
Northern America
Plant Profile: Impatiens capensis
Taxonomy: Impatiens capensisNames
Jewelweed, Jewel Weed, Orange Jewelweed, Touch-me-not
Phonetic Spelling:im-PAY-shuns ka-PEN-sis
Genus:Impatiens
Species:capensis
Family:Balsaminaceae
Jewelweed is an annual herb that typically reaches heights of 3 to 5 feet. It thrives in naturally moist environments such as forests, streambanks, and bogs. The stem has a slightly translucent quality, while the leaves are arranged alternately, featuring a serrated edge and a somewhat fuzzy underside. In early fall, it produces vibrant orange and yellow flowers adorned with darker markings. When mature, the plant generates a capsule that bursts open, scattering its seeds.
In garden settings, jewelweed is well-suited for moist, shaded areas, woodland gardens, bog gardens, native plant gardens, and the edges of ponds or streams, as well as in low-lying spots.
The plant's common name, jewelweed, comes from the way dew or rain collects on its leaves, forming glistening droplets.
Regarding fire safety, jewelweed has a low flammability rating.
Seasons of Interest:
- Blooms: Fall
- Nut/Fruit/Seed: Fall
This plant is known for its ability to self-seed abundantly, which can lead to prolific growth.
Impatiens capensis Feature Summary
Impatiens capensis Image Gallery
Tags
#hummingbirds
#red
#yellow
#annual
#orange
#wildlife plant
#shade tolerant
#nectar plant
#fall interest
#herb garden
#cpp
#low flammability
#NC native
#summer flowers
#deer resistant
#native garden
#fire resistant
#pollinator plant
#native wildflower
#wildflower garden
#food source summer
#forb
#food source fall
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#Coastal FACW
#Piedmont Mountains FACW
#fall color orange
#butterfly friendly
#nectar plant early summer
#nectar plant mid-summer
#nectar plant late summer
#nectar plant early fall
#nectar plant mid-fall
#pollinator garden
#non-toxic for horses
#non-toxic for dogs
#non-toxic for cats
#audubon
Similar Plants
Impatiens capensis Feature Summary
Attributes
Northern America
Its flowers are attractive to Ruby Throated hummingbirds in the late summer and fall. Flowers provide nectar to pollinators from June until the first frost.
This plant is moderately resistant to damage from deer and resistant to fire in the landscape.
Annual
Wildlife Food Source
low flammability
Fruit
Flowers give way to slender seed capsules which when ripe explosively split open at a touch dispersing the tiny seeds within in all directions, hence the common name of touch-me-not.
Capsule
Summer
Fall
Flowers
Jewelweed features 1" long, rear-spurred, cornucopia-shaped, orange to orange-yellow flowers with reddish-brown spotting. The flowers bloom from June to frost. Each flower dangles from a leaf axil on its own slender stalk. The flower has three sepals with the lower one extended backward as a spur. Each has five petals of unequal size and five stamens. The pistil is composed of five united carpels.
Gold/Yellow
Orange
Summer
Fall
4-5 petals/rays
1-3 inches
Leaves
Jewelweed has oval, coarsely-toothed, bluish-green leaves (to 3.5" long). The leaves are alternate with thin elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with coarsely toothed margins. The underside of the leaves are partly fuzzy. The leaves are 1.5-3.5 inches long. Native Americans used the watery plant juices to relieve itching associated with poison ivy, stinging nettle, and insect bites
Deciduous
Green
Alternate
Elliptical
Dentate
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Annual
Native Plant
Wildflower
Herb
Deciduous
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
2a
2b
3a
3b
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
Clay
High Organic Matter
Stem
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Native Garden
Water Garden
Wet Soil
Fire
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Pond
Butterflies
Pollinators
Bees
Small Mammals
Hummingbirds
Impatiens capensis Image Gallery
Impatiens capensis Attributes
Impatiens capensis: Wildlife Value
Its flowers are attractive to Ruby Throated hummingbirds in the late summer and fall. Flowers provide nectar to pollinators from June until the first frost.
Impatiens capensis: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
This plant is moderately resistant to damage from deer and resistant to fire in the landscape.
Impatiens capensis: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Impatiens capensis: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Impatiens capensis: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Impatiens capensis: Fire Risk Rating
extreme flammability
high flammability
low flammability
medium flammability
Impatiens capensis Fruit
Impatiens capensis: Fruit Description
Flowers give way to slender seed capsules which when ripe explosively split open at a touch dispersing the tiny seeds within in all directions, hence the common name of touch-me-not.
Impatiens capensis: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Impatiens capensis: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Impatiens capensis Flowers
Impatiens capensis: Flower Description
Jewelweed features 1" long, rear-spurred, cornucopia-shaped, orange to orange-yellow flowers with reddish-brown spotting. The flowers bloom from June to frost. Each flower dangles from a leaf axil on its own slender stalk. The flower has three sepals with the lower one extended backward as a spur. Each has five petals of unequal size and five stamens. The pistil is composed of five united carpels.
Impatiens capensis: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Orange
Impatiens capensis: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Impatiens capensis: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Impatiens capensis: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Impatiens capensis: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Impatiens capensis Leaves
Impatiens capensis: Leaf Description
Jewelweed has oval, coarsely-toothed, bluish-green leaves (to 3.5" long). The leaves are alternate with thin elliptic to egg-shaped leaves with coarsely toothed margins. The underside of the leaves are partly fuzzy. The leaves are 1.5-3.5 inches long. Native Americans used the watery plant juices to relieve itching associated with poison ivy, stinging nettle, and insect bites
Impatiens capensis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Impatiens capensis: Leaf Color
Green
Impatiens capensis: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Impatiens capensis: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Impatiens capensis: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Impatiens capensis: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Impatiens capensis: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Impatiens capensis Whole Plant Traits
Impatiens capensis: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Impatiens capensis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Impatiens capensis: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Impatiens capensis Cultural Conditions
Impatiens capensis: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Impatiens capensis: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Impatiens capensis: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Impatiens capensis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
11a
11b
2a
2b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Impatiens capensis: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Impatiens capensis Stem
Impatiens capensis: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Impatiens capensis Landscape
Impatiens capensis: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Impatiens capensis: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Impatiens capensis: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Impatiens capensis: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
