Jewelweed

Description

Impatiens pseudoviola, commonly known as the jewelweed and touch me not, is a species of flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae, native to Kenya and Tanzania. This plant grows between 6-12cm. It flowers bright pink between summer and autumn. This perennial species has ovate, alternate toothed leaves. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. This species prefers to be grown in a semi-shade environment. It can be propagated with stem cuttings during the spring or summer months. However, it is not hardy and it is recommended that it is kept indoors during the winter months. This plant is susceptible to red spider mites, aphids, downy mildew, and whiteflies. Impatiens is a genus of more than 1,000 species of flowering plants, widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere and the tropics. Together with the genus Hydrocera (one species), Impatiens make up the family Balsaminaceae. Common names in North America include impatiens, jewelweed, touch-me-not, snapweed and patience. As a rule-of-thumb, jewelweed is used exclusively for Nearctic species, and balsam is usually applied to tropical species. In the British Isles by far the most common names are impatiens and busy lizzie, especially for the many varieties, hybrids and cultivars involving Impatiens walleriana. "Busy lizzie" is also found in the American literature. The invasive alien Impatiens glandulifera is commonly called policeman's helmet in the UK. Impatiens is a genus of more than 1,000 species of flowering plants, widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere and the tropics. Together with the genus Hydrocera (one species), Impatiens make up the family Balsaminaceae. Common names in North America include impatiens, jewelweed, touch-me-not, snapweed and patience. As a rule-of-thumb, "jewelweed" is used exclusively for Nearctic species, and balsam is usually applied to tropical species. In the British Isles by far the most common names are impatiens and busy lizzie, especially for the many varieties, hybrids and cultivars involving Impatiens walleriana. "Busy lizzie" is also found in the American literature. The invasive alien Impatiens glandulifera is commonly called policeman's helmet in the UK.