HELPFUL HERBS & PLANTS WITH A PURPOSE - JEWELWEED
Truly this weed is indeed a jewel, and it’s amazing!
I had truly never seen anything like this. Along some woods on the shore of Lake Michigan in Door County, Wisconsin, there was a large area completely full of some huge Jewelweed plants!
JEWELWEED
The Jewelweed plant is a well known for its uses in fighting skin irritations like Poison Ivy. It can get up to five feet tall, like the fields that I found, but I have never personally seen anything like it. Most of the wild Jewelweed that I had come across previously was much shorter.
If you look at the in focus seed pod on the left half of the photo above, you can see the seed pod. Jewelweed is a species within the genus Impatiens, like the "Impatients" that are commonly sold at garden centers. Like other plants in this genus, the seed pod helps disperse the seeds in a most peculiar way. Ultimately, they explode and the seeds are sent flying in every direction.
Here, in the palm of my hand, are some exploded seed pods with the seeds. The green coils are what is left of the exterior of the seed pod when it explodes. The "football shaped" objects are the seeds.
A VIDEO FROM THE FIELD
WHY I LOVE THIS PLANT
The stem and leaves of this plant can be squeezed to expel a "juice," and this liquid has long been used to help with skin irritations and rashes. The plant can soothe itches and has been known to counteract the effects of Poison Ivy, which is something that is a huge bonus for me.
I have yet to grow some of my own, but hopefully will be able to next year. Jewelweed is an annual, so it will need to "be planted" each year. However, with the effective reproduction by seed and the amazing way that the seed pods launch the seeds like tiny projectiles, I think once I get some growing, they'll take care of the rest.
More recently, I've even hung out with some steemians foraging for Jewelweed in the wild! While over at @mericanhomestead last month, @themyrrhmaid and a few others found some down the road. To check out more about that, check out the post here.
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As always, I'm @papa-pepper and here's the proof:
proof-of-jewelweed
Until next time…
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Dear sir as usual your information is fully loaded with outstanding knowledge.
Thank you @papa-pepper
Thank you very much.
I remember seeing that plant in the fields. I think there are So many more plants out their we need to identify as beneficial and medicinal to us. thanks for posting
Thanks for sharing natural cure for Itches and skin irritations
Hay sir you had really take good picture and at same time giving us many information about Jewelweed plant in your style .... And you also want to grow it but for that wait for next year....
at my age my favorite plants are kratom and arnica
Great helpful and good information :)
Just one of the thousands of plants we are all blessed with!
Amen to that!
Love it! I'm into herbal medicine and it turns out all sorts of 'weeds' have healing properties. Here in Hawaii, one of the most annoying weeds "Honohono" grass is antiseptic and edible (not that it tastes very good). Honohono means "to crawl all over" and it does! Exploding jewel weed sounds much more manageable!
We called it "touch me not" as a kid, grew all along the creek... along with the poison ivy and nettles I needed it for. But the seed pods, SO fun!!
Seed pods are so much fun!