Jewelweed

[Lois]

 

 

Jewelweed

Picture and more here: http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/j/jewelw08.html

Botanical: Impatiens aurea (MUHL.), Impatiens biflora (WALT.)

Family: N.O. Geraniaceae

---Synonyms---Wild Balsam. Balsam-weed. Impatiens pallida. Pale-touch-me-not. Spottedtouch-me-not. Slipperweed. Silverweed. Wild Lady's Slipper. Speckled Jewels. Wild Celandine. Quick-in-the-hand.

---Part Used---Herb.

---Habitat---Members of the genus Impatiens are found widely distributed in the north temperate zone and in South Africa, but the majority are natives of the mountains of tropical Asia and Africa.

The flowers, purple, yellow, pink and white, sometimes a showy scarlet, are spurred and irregular in form and are borne in the leaf axils.

The name Impatiens is derived from the fact that the seed-pod, when ripe, discharges the seeds by the elastic separation and uncoiling of the valves.

Under the name of Jewelweed the herbage of Impatiens aurea and of I. biflora are largely employed in domestic practice and by homoeopaths and eclectics.

---Description---The plants are tall and branching, tender and delicate succulent annuals, with swollen joints, growing in lowlying, damp, rather rich soil, beside streams and in similar damp localities.

They are smooth and somewhat glaucous, the stems somewhat translucent, the foliage showing a brilliant silvery surface when immersed in water, which will not adhere to the surface.

The leaves are thin, ovate oval, more or less toothed, of a tender green colour.

The slipper-shaped, yellow flowers, in bloom from July to September, have long recurved tails, those of the first-named species being of a uniform pale-yellow, those of the second species, orange-yellow, crowded with dark spots, hence its common name of Spotted-touch-me-not. The oblong capsules of both species when ripe explode under the slightest disturbance, scattering the seeds widely. Most of the popular names refer to this peculiarity, others to the shape of the flowers.

---Medicinal Action and Uses---The herbs have an acrid, burning taste and act strongly as emetics, cathartics and diuretics, but are considered dangerous, their use having been termed 'wholly questionable.'

---Constituents---The chemical constituents are not known, though the leaves apparently contain tannin, which causes them to be employed as an outward application for piles, proving an excellent remedy, the freshly gathered plants being boiled in lard and an ointment made of them.

The fresh juice of the herb appears to relieve cutaneous irritation of various kinds, especially that due to Rhus poisoning.

A yellow dye has been made from the flowers.

 

The jewelweed is also used to treat Poison ivy, break off some and rub the affected area with the jewelweed to give you time to get home and shower it off.

[quiltys41]

This is from my DH who has been using this most his life for posion oak and sumac.

 

Gather the leaves when the plant is tender in the spring. This grows wild here along the streams and springs. Take the leaves off the stems and put into an old blender (NOT one you use for food)and chop it up well. Put chopped jewelweed into old ice cube trays almost to top of each spot. Cover with water and freeze. After frozen, take out and put them in a plastic bag and keep in freezer. When you get posion ivy, oak or sumac, take one cube and rub it across the area until the cube is melted. Leave on over at least one to two hours, preferably overnight. This has been used by our family for generations as a cure and it does work very well.

 

Q

[Mother]

What an excellent idea Quiltys. Jewel weed doesn't dry well but I have used it that way in a tea as a wash. This would be much more effective I believe. Thanks for the info.

 

((( )))

[cookiejar]

That is a neat idea!

 

Thanks!

[zzelle]

wonderful idea thanks for all the info