Plant
Pale Jewelweed
Impatiens pallidaAlso known as Yellow Jewelweed, Pale Touch-Me-Not, Yellow Touch-Me-Not
Pale jewelweed thrives in damp, dappled woodlands and stream banks across eastern North America, forming dense colonies of succulent, translucent green stems. Its pale yellow, pouch-shaped blossoms dangle gracefully beneath broad leaves and feature a short, bent nectar spur tailored for long-tongued bumblebees and visiting hummingbirds. Mature seed capsules build mechanical tension until the gentlest disturbance causes them to rupture explosively, catapulting seeds several meters from the parent plant.
WildflowerWetlandNative
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyAutotroph (photosynthesis)
Predators
- White-tailed deer
- Aphids
- Foliage-feeding caterpillars
ThreatsWetland draining, canopy clearing, and competition from invasive plants
HabitatsMoist deciduous woods, stream banks, wetland edges, and seepage areas
Life span1 year (annual)
Classification
- FamilyBalsaminaceae
- SpeciesImpatiens pallida
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Seed pod triggers: Lightly squeeze a plump, mature capsule to witness its explosive seed dispersal.
- Dewdrops on foliage: Observe the leaves early in the morning to see water beads glisten like jewels on the water-repellent surface.
Pollinator jeffreyw / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Competitor (c) John Barkla, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John Barkla · cc-by
Pollinator USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab from Beltsville, Maryland, USA / Public domain · cc0
Close Relative (c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michael J. Papay · cc-by
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