Orange Jewelweed

Spotted Touch-me-not; Jewel weed. Impatiens capensis One of my all time favorite plants. It has a seed pod you can prank people with. Ask them to pinch a swollen seed pod with two fingers. The pod will burst in their fingers and give a squirmy sensation as if its alive! An annual that often occurs in dense stands, this species is especially adapted to humming bird visitation, but bees and butterflies are also important pollinators. If the leaves are submerged, they take on a silvery look. The sap of the stems and leaves is said to relieve itching from poison ivy and nettles (with which it often grows) and has also been used to treat athletes foot; scientific data confirm the fungicidal qualities. -national audubon society field guide to wildflowers