Jewelweed II

 Note from the Author: I have covered this plant before, on June 20^th 2011 in brief detail.

 

 

Impatiens capensis (Flower) –Helen Lowe, USGUS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab MD USA. (Via Wikipedia)

Impatiens capensis – Derek Ramsey (Via Wikipedia)

Common Name: Jewelweed

 

Other Common Names: Jewel Weed, Orange Jewelweed, Touch-me-not, Spotted Touch-me-not, Orange-flowered Jewelweed.

 

Botanical Family: Balsaminaceae (The Balsam Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Impatiens capensis

 

Description & Habitat:  Jewelweed is commonly found in wet areas such as along rivers, streams, ponds, springs, swamps, low mesic woodlands, floodplains and bottom lands. In the urban landscape you will find it around artificial ponds or anywhere it’s been introduced and the soil is regularly moist such as drainage areas. Jewelweed is an annual native plant that is upright growing has pale stems that often have enlarged internodes. The leaves are roughly elliptical in shape and are borne alternately and may have dentate margins. The flowers of Jewelweed are something to behold as they range from orange to orange-yellow in color and are spotted with reddish, yellow, dark orange or white spots that may also present as large blotches.

 

Special Toxicity Note:  This plant does contain Calcium Oxalate Crystals and thus is not recommended for consumption raw. Cooking destroys some of the crystals but even so it is impossible in the field to determine the concentration of Calcium oxalate in each plant so even if cooked regular consumption is not advised.

 

When & What to Harvest: Young shoots and foliage are ideal but they must be used quickly as this plant wilts very fast. Wrapping the cut foliage in wet paper towels and carrying them in a cooler with ice can delay the wilting for an hour or two if needed. Also stem cuttings of this plant that are at least 3-5” long may be able to be rooted in a glass of water for cultivation purposes. With that said, I must mention that jewelweed is a medicinal plant, and many references cite that it was used by an unspecified number of Native American peoples. Its primary use was in the treatment of wounds and skin ailments but also, cathartic, diuretic and emetic. In the form of an infusion it was used to treat fevers, difficult urination, measles, stomach cramps, and jaundice. The juice of the leaves and stems has been used externally to treat piles, fungal dermatitis, nettle stings, poison ivy rash, and burns while the sap specifically was used to handle warts. In the form of a poultice of the leaves is applied to bruises, burns, cuts and lacerations.

 

 

Related Plants: Yellow-flowered Jewelweed (Impatiens pallida)

 

Recipe:  

While I have no official recipes for this plant there is one in edible wild plants of North America that is worth a try. It does not specify how much Jewelweed you need but I’m guessing a cup of it that’s been chopped.

 

Cover Jewelweed with water and boil for 10-15 minutes. During this drain the existing water* and replace with fresh water at least twice. Drain a final time then season and butter to taste.

 

*You might want to hold on to the drained water; it can be the basis of anti-poison Ivy salve or ointment.

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/impatiens-capensis/

 

 

Where to get Seed or Bare Root Plants:

https://www.prairiemoon.com/impatiens-capensis-spotted-touch-me-not

 

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

 

Fresh Produce:

Cucumbers, Lemon

Figs, Celeste

Figs, Chicago Hardy

Figs, Ischia

Peppers, Banana Drop Hybrid

 

Summer Vegetables:

Nightshade Greens, Gbognome

Nightshade Greens, West African Njama

Okra, Baby Bubba

Okra, Iraqi Bamia

Pepper, Ghost

Pepper, Serrano

Pepper, Hungarian Wax Banana

Pepper, Bull’s Horn

Pepper, Mad Hatter

Pepper, Purple Bell

Potato, Adirondak (Purple skin with blue-purple flesh)

Spinach, Egyptian

 

Herbs:

Basil, Holy

Basil, Sweet Genovese

Chives

Yarrow, Parker’s Gold

 

Flowers:

Flowering Tobacco

Marigolds

 

Plants Coming Soon:

Egyptian Onions

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (2): Jewels of Opar, Sweet Potato Vine (short video).

 

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is August 2^nd at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.

 

Bitter Sneezeweed II

Note from the Author: I previously covered this plant on February 18^th 2022.

This one has to be the prettiest specimen I've ever seen.

Coming out of a crack in the cement curb, Bitter Sneezeweed is a serious annual plant.

Mixed in with the weeds and tall grass of an overgrown field is where you might find these annuals. No other plant has a flower quite like Bitter Sneezeweed.

 

 

 

Common Name: Bitter Sneezeweed

 

Other Common Names: Yellow sneezeweed, Fiveleaf sneezeweed and Yellowdicks.

 

Botanical Family: Asteraceae (The Aster Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Helenium amarum

 

Description & Habitat: Typically you will find this plant along the roadside or in fields, by the edge of pastures and it pops up a lot in areas with very sandy soil. Bitter Sneezeweed has an upright habit and forms a sort of canopy as it takes on an overall ‘V’ shape when seen from the side. The bright golden yellow flowers are roughly shaped like a shuttlecock from badminton. The petals tend to arch downwards towards the ground while the florets in the center of the flower form a cone. The foliage of this perennial and native plant has a camphor-chamomile kind of scent.

 

Special Toxicity Note: This plant contains Helenalin which is a Sesquiterpene lactone and is the primary toxic compound in the plant which serves as its defense against grazing animals which also makes it squirrel and deer resistant. It also contains Dugaldin and phenol which makes it toxic to cats too so definitely not for use as a house plant but it thankfully is a bitter tasting which can discourage animal and small child consumption.

 

When & What to Harvest: Generally for medicinal use you can harvest the mature flowers, stems and foliage. The leaves when used in an infusion are said to be a laxative. Infusions using only the stems are supposedly used in a wash to help treat fevers. The mature flower heads when dried were used to treat Colds and headaches while if made into a tea they were said to treat worms in the intestine. Lastly and perhaps most promising is that the plant contains Helenalin a compound that has shown great promise in anti-tumor use.

 

Related Plants: Common Sneezeweed (H. autumnale), Purple-headed Sneezeweed (H. flexuosum).

 

Recipe:  (None, this plant is not for culinary use)

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/helenium-autumnale/

 

Where to get Seed or Bare Root Plants:

https://store.experimentalfarmnetwork.org/products/bitter-sneezeweed

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

 

Fresh Produce:

Blueberries, Rabbiteye

Figs, Magnolia

Peppers, Banana Drop Hybrid

 

Summer Vegetables:

Nightshade Greens, Gbognome

Nightshade Greens, West African Njama

Okra, Baby Bubba

Okra, Iraqi Bamia

Pepper, Ghost

Pepper, Serrano

Pepper, Hungarian Wax Banana

Pepper, Bull’s Horn

Pepper, Mad Hatter

Pepper, Purple Bell

Potato, Adirondak (Purple skin with blue-purple flesh)

Spinach, Egyptian

 

Herbs:

Basil, Holy

Basil, Sweet Genovese

Chives

Yarrow, Parker’s Gold

 

 

Flowers:

Flowering Tobacco

Hibiscus, Luna Red

Marigolds

 

Plants Coming Soon:

Green-Fruit Nightshade Greens

Rainbow Quinoa

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Stevia

 

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is June 28^th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.

 

Mouse-Ear Chickweed II

 Note from the Author: This is an update on a weed I briefly covered on September 2, 2022.

 

 

Here is one starting to bloom.

This specimen is looking really good...that cigarette butt nearby, not so much.

 

Common Name: Mouse-Ear Chickweed

 

Other Common Names: Sticky Chickweed, Clammy Chickweed, Sticky Mouse-ear Chickweed.

 

Botanical Family: Caryophyllaceae (The Carnation Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Cerastium glomeratum

 

Description & Habitat: Mouse-Ear Chickweed is a non-native cool season annual that is similar in physical features to its cousin Common Chickweed (Stellaria media). Mouse-Ear Chickweed has green foliage that may appear grayish due to the fuzz of it’s fine hairs. Leafe are simple and have an entire margin and are borne in opposite arrangement. This plant may have deep red stems and had five-petaled flowers borne in clusters that are white in color and have a deep notch in the petal tips. It is not uncommon for one of these plants to get as tall as six inches with a spread of up to a foot and a half. Generally Mouse-hear Chickweed is found in locations with disturbed soil, but can also be found in lawns, yards, potted outdoor plants and in garden beds. It is not particularly aggressive and is short-lived as the heat of summer tends to kill it when it emerges in a full sun location. In older publications this plant may appear under the botanical Latin names, Cerastium acutatum, Cerastium glomeratum var. apetalum and, Cerastium viscosum. As for medicinal/herbal uses I’ve managed to find two uses that are repeated by credible sources so it should be safe to consider the following. While I cannot find a originating source for the claim, the juice of this plant dropped into the nostrils during a nosebleed is said to stop the bleeding. The action by which this works is unclear, but it may be a coagulant and this might help with other minor wounds. In Nepal the juice of this plant is applied to the forehead to lessen the effects of a headache.  There are a number of common ‘weeds’ that have similar compounds as Asprin, specifically Salicylic acid which was first isolated in Willow bark but is also known to be found in the leaves of English Violets (Viola odorata). Oh and as a tip on looking for willows for pain relief, Purple Willow (Salix purpurea) and it’s hybrids with Daphne Willow (S. daphnoides) are the best sources for quality pain relieving bark.

 

 

When & What to Harvest: The foliage as a whole can be harvested and eaten raw or cooked.

 

Edible Related Plants: Common Chickweed (Stellaria media),

 

Similar Dangerous Species:  None are known.

 

Recipe:  

Mouse-Ear Chickweed is useable in all the same ways as Common Chickweed.

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cerastium-glomeratum/

 

 

Where to get seed or Bare Root Plants:

I don’t know of any credible vendor selling seeds or plants.

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.

 

Spring Garden Plants:

Swiss Chard, Red

(More TBA!)

 

 

Soil Amendment Products:

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 18 Gallon Tote*

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 3 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 1 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Enhanced Potting Soil – 1 Gallon Bag

 

 

 

*The 18 gallon tote is by special order only and is delivered to any address within the Fayetteville city area.

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Farmed Chickweed

 

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is March 20^th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.