Yellow Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida)

     
Yellow Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida)

Yellow jewelweed is a native, annual wildflower found throughout Wisconsin. It typically grows three to six feet tall, with succulent, somewhat translucent stems that branch occasionally. The leaves are thin, ovate, and coarsely toothed, each carried on a slender stalk. Its nodding yellow flowers are about an inch long and have a distinctive structure: a pouch-like lower sepal with a short spur, and a single three-lobed petal that forms the lip and lateral wings. These delicate blooms attract hummingbirds and bees, and the plant is known for its touch-sensitive seed pods that burst open when ripe.

Yellow jewelweed thrives in moist, deciduous woodlands and along woodland edges, preferring rich soils and bright shade to dappled light. It often grows alongside its orange-flowered cousin, Impatiens capensis, and contributes to the diversity of late-summer understory plants.

Ecologically, yellow jewelweed supports hummingbirds, bees, and other native pollinators with its nectar-rich flowers. Its seed production offers occasional forage for small wildlife, and dense colonies help stabilize soil and shade out some invasive seedlings, including garlic mustard. Historically, the plant was used to soothe skin irritations from poison ivy and nettles.

Sources: 

Flora of North America — Impatiens pallida

Wisconsin State Herbarium — Impatiens pallida

USDA Plants Database — Impatiens pallida

Minnesota Wildflowers — Yellow Jewelweed

Illinois Wildflowers — Pale Touch-me-not

(SF)