Spotted Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

                

     
Spotted Jewelweed  (Impatiens capensis) 

Spotted jewelweed is a native, annual self-seeding wildflower that often occurs in dense stands. It is a two to five-foot tall, leafy plant with succulent, translucent stems. Its pendant, golden-orange flowers are about an inch long and marked with red-orange splotches. Each flower features a distinctive hooked nectar spur and a two-lipped corolla formed from three true petals and three sepals—one of which is modified into a pouch-like structure The one to three-inch, sharp-toothed oval leaves alternate on one-inch leafstalks. It grows best in shaded wetlands and along streams in clay, loam or sand.

 

Additionally, spotted jewelweed plays an important role in the understory ecology of moist woodlands and shaded streambanks. Its tubular orange flowers are a seasonal beacon for long-tongued pollinators like bumblebees and hummingbirds, offering nectar when few other native plants bloom in such damp niches. The plant’s dense, succulent growth helps stabilize soil and reduce erosion along riparian corridors, while its explosive seed dispersal ensures rapid colonization of disturbed areas, aiding in natural regeneration. According to the Georgia DNR,  jewelweed has been reported as a larval host for some  moth species. It also provides cover for amphibians and small invertebrates, weaving itself into the  architecture of biodiversity where water meets forest. (SF)