It seems almost a shame to label this one a weed - nothing this pretty should have weed as a part of its name. Jewelweed is fond of damp places and shady places, though you will find it growing in a bit of sun. Flowers can range from the usual dark orange to reds and yellows and any shade in between. There are yellow leaf forms and variegated leaf forms. This was one of my childhood delights for the seed pods that come after the flowers. When they're ripe, any touch causes them to pop open, turn inside out, and spray seeds all over the place. A great survival strategy since any animal passing will 'plant' the seeds for it.
Here's a close-up of the flower. These are related to impatiens, though the flowers are more orchid-like. Tomorrow, our hardy impatiens which should be flowering soon.
Jane
3 comments:
I thought it was a type of orchid! Pretty little flower!
Enjoyed this posting. I visited a place on Saturday that I recall seeing lots of Jewelweed several years ago. Now taken over by Japanese Bamboo Grass
Japanese Bamboo Grass, also known as Mexican Bamboo and which is really a member of the buckwheat family and is getting to be a problem around here as it just takes over everything else. I can't let the Jewelweed grow everywhere here, but I have several spots where I let a patch stay.
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