Jewel Weed

Impatiens capensis

SIZE AND DESCRIPTION

Bushy annual to 1.5m tall, with fleshy and almost transparent stems. Leaves are pale green and waxy beneath. Flowers have five golden-orange, brown-spotted, irregularly shaped petals, and are borne on a slender stalk. Fruits are dry capsules. Also called Orange Balsam.

DISTRIBUTION

Native to North America, and naturalized in parts of Europe.

USES

Young leaves and stems may be eaten raw in salads or steamed like a vegetable. Green seedpods can be stir-fried or eaten raw. Best known for its skin-healing properties: leaves and juice are used for rashes from poison ivy, nettles and other plants, insect bites and bee stings, and other types of dermatitis.