06/01/2026
JEWELWEED... IT'S THE ALOE VERA OF THE HOLLER... AND THEN SOME!
Impatiens Capensis, is known as Jewelweed and in older literature "Touch Me Not" due to the seed pods literally exploding seeds everywhere when you come in contact with them at all. So, as you can imagine, it wasn't easy to get seeds to cultivate this, but once I did, I let it self-populate. It usually grows in wet areas. So, I have it growing in shaded areas that aren't as well drained as others. It is a very fragile plant with a hollow stem and a gelatinous goo on the inside.
Abirritant (relieving or lessening irritation; soothing)
Analgesic (Pain Relief)
Anti-allergenic (topically… lessening allergic reactions)
Anti-cancer (specific types, anti-gastric adenocarcinoma activity)
Anti-dermatitis
Antifungal (kills fungus)
Anti-hemorrhoidal
Anti-inflammatory
Antihistamine
Antimicrobial
Anti-pruritic
Antipyretic (fever reducer)
Anti-Tumor
Laxative
It soothes skin irritations and itching, treats fungal infections like athlete's foot or ringworm, alleviates symptoms of anaphylaxis caused by poison ivy, treats constipation when taken internally, fevers, hemorrhoids, jaundice, measles, rheumatism, certain cancers, acne, rashes, itching, bug bites, burns, piles, neuralgia, bruises, warts, stomach cramps, and the list goes on. Jewelweed has been traditionally used for these conditions. ⚠︎ Use with Caution internally ⚠︎. Eating this plant on a regular basis can be dangerous due to its high oxalic acid content, similar to that of spinach.
Jewelweed contains compounds (Lawsone and Saponins) that can counteract the urushiol oil in poison ivy, which is the culprit behind the rash.
“The principal active components in Impatiens sp. are the dinapthofuran-7, 12-dione derivatives, lawsone and lawsone methyl ether (Sakunpheuak & Panichayupakaranant, 2010). These chemical constituents provide predominant anti-microbial, anti-anaphylaxis, and anti-allergic activities (Sakunpheuak & Panichayupakaranant, 2010). Lawsone, lawsone methyl ether, and methylene-3,3’-bilawsone, an anti-pruritic agent, are each isolated from the leaves and roots of Impatiens sp. (Iman et. al., 2012). Lawsone, lawsone methyl ether and methylene-3,3’-bilawsone have also been shown to exhibit cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines A549, Bel-7402, and Hela (Pei et al., 2012). Other active compounds possessing anti-dermatitis, anti-bacterial, anti-pruritic, and anti-histaminic properties include peptides, quinines, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and coumarins found in the seeds, roots, and flowers of Impatiens sp. (Su et. al., 2012). Ib-AMP4 is a peptide isolated from Impatiens sp. which displays effective antimicrobial properties upon activation with hydrogen peroxide (Iman et. Al, 2012). Apigenin, luteolin, and luteolin 7-glucoside are found in the extract of the flower and exhibit significant allergy preventive effects observed in in vivo studies (Iwaoka et al., 2010). An in vivo study showed kaempferol, isolated from the petals of Impatiens sp., inhibited scratching behavior in mice with atopic dermatitis, demonstrating anti-pruritic and anti-dermatitis properties of Impatiens sp.(Oku & Ishiguro, 2001).”
https://klemow.wilkes.edu/Impatiens13.html
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