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Family:
Balsaminaceae
Also called:
Spotted Touch-Me-Not
Description:
.91-1.52 meter (3-5ft) tall annual with oval, toothed leaves. Lower leaves are opposite, upper are alternate. Flowers are pendant-like, yellow-to-orange with red spots. Flowers June through September. Fruits grow in long green pods that pop when touched, dispersing seeds
Location:
Usually grows in dense stands in moist, shady soils along streams. Ranges across the United States, from the Pacific Northwest to the East coast, south through Georgia and Florida.
Parts Used and Uses:
Leaves:
Crushed leaves in poultice form are a traditional and well-known remedy for poison ivy. Leaf tea is a folk remedy in preventing poison ivy. Ice cubes made from tea are also rubbed topically on rashes.
Juice:
Juice from the stem before flowering also used topically on poison ivy rash.
Notes:
Jewelweed contains a compound called lawsone in its leaves proven to have anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties.
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