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Impatiens capensis Meerburgh. Common name: Orange Jewelweed, Orange Touch-me-not, Spotted Touch-me-not. Phenology: May-Nov. Habitat: Moist forests, bottomlands, cove forests, streambanks, bogs. Distribution: NL (Newfoundland) west to SK, NT, and BC, south to SC, Panhandle FL, AL, TX, CO, ID, and OR.

ID notes: Within the portion of our area where I. capensis and I. pallida overlap, the two species often occur in mixed populations. I. capensis tends to have the leaf apices and crenulations more rounded than I. pallida, but the character is overlapping and variable.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy : = Ar, C, Can, F, Fl5, FNA13, GrPl, GW2, Il, K4, Mi, Mo2, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, (basionym); = Impatiens biflora Walter — G, S, S13, Tat; ? Impatiens fulva Nutt.

Links to other floras: = Impatiens capensis - FNA13

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
  • Great Plains: FACW
  • Midwest: FACW
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACW

Heliophily : 5

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image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect to leaning annual of moist forests, bottomlands, cove forests, stream banksand bogs. Can occur in dense stands.

Stems: Stems succulent-watery, branched above, glossy and smooth.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, oval, to 5 in. long, with broadly toothed margins, soft grayish-green with a hairless, water-repellent surface.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers dangle on individual slender stalks from leaf axils; they are orange-yellow with reddish-brown spots, about 1 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and cornucopia-like, with a backward-pointing spur and 2 lips, the lower one larger and split into 2 lobes.

Fruits: Fruit a fleshy green capsule that explodes open, flinging turquoise-colored seeds.

Comments:

Height: 3-5 ft.

plant sale text: This tall annual blooms throughout the summer. Its orange flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds and other pollinators. In the woods, look for this plant in low spots or along streams, as it thrives in damp soil. Some people use jewelweed to soothe poison ivy rash. The common name Jewelweed comes from the lovely turquoise color of its seeds. Another common name is Touch-me-not which comes from the way the seed capsules eject their seeds when touched. These seeds will reliably germinate and produce many seedlings, so it is not for every garden.

bloom table text:

description: Erect to leaning annual of moist forests, bottomlands, cove forests, stream banksand bogs. Can occur in dense stands.

stems: Stems succulent-watery, branched above, glossy and smooth.

leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, oval, to 5 in. long, with broadly toothed margins, soft grayish-green with a hairless, water-repellent surface.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers dangle on individual slender stalks from leaf axils; they are orange-yellow with reddish-brown spots, about 1 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and cornucopia-like, with a backward-pointing spur and 2 lips, the lower one larger and split into 2 lobes.

fruits: Fruit a fleshy green capsule that explodes open, flinging turquoise-colored seeds.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern North America