Plant · GBIF taxon 2891774
common jewelweed
Impatiens capensisAlso known as Orange Jewelweed, Spotted Jewelweed, Spotted Touch-Me-Not, Orange Balsam
Common jewelweed thrives in damp stream banks and shady wetlands, forming dense stands with translucent succulent stems. Its slipper-shaped orange flowers hang like delicate jewelry and feature deep nectar spurs tailored for hummingbirds. When mature seed pods are touched, they explode violently to fling seeds several feet away.
AnnualFloweringWetland
1 / 7—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Photosynthetic
Predators
- White-Tailed Deer
- Caterpillars
- Aphids
ThreatsHabitat alteration, severe drought, invasive plant competition
HabitatsWetlands, stream banks, ditches, moist woodlands
Life span1 year (Annual)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderEricales
- FamilyBalsaminaceae
- GenusImpatiens
- SpeciesImpatiens capensis
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
- Touch-Me-Not Demo: Gently pinch a swollen, ripe seed capsule in late summer to watch it instantly spring open.
- Bird Watching: Stand quietly near large stands in August to observe migrating ruby-throated hummingbirds feeding.
- Leaf Observation: Submerge a leaf underwater to see trapped air turn the surface into a silvery foil.
Pollinator jeffreyw / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Frequent Companion (c) Sam Fraser-Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) John Barkla, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John Barkla · cc-by
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