What a great herb jewelweed is! Jewelweed is an annual plant native to northern and eastern North America. It is common and widespread in moist shady areas such as along streams and lakes and it grows two to five feet tall. It begins blooming in mid-summer and continues until the plant is killed by frost. You must be careful when foraging for jewelweed because it does grow right next to poison ivy.
The unscented one-inch long flowers are bright orange to orange yellow with variable amounts of spots and markings. The flowers produce an elongated green fruit which is toxic if ingested. When they are ripe and slightly touched, they burst open with seeds inside. Native Americans used its sap to treat various skin rashes by crushing the very large hollow stems and rubbing the sticky clear sap on the skin. It quickly takes away the itch from poison ivy blisters or the burning cessation caused by stinging nettles. The sap from jewelweed can also be used to ease the itch caused by athlete’s foot.
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Stay natural!
~Dr. Amanda P. Cartwright