Jewelweed Edible?

Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is an annual that grows in wet, shaded areas. Jewelweed is edible indeed edible although it isn't going to win any awards for taste. However, in a survival situation, the taste may not be your primary concern. Jewelweed requires cooking before eating.

An interesting characteristic of Jewelweed is that the seed pods will explode when touched, sending the seeds flying through the air. Actually, you don't have to cook the seeds, if you can find them, and they taste a little like walnuts but are bitter. So a decent snack in small quantities.

The bulk of the food from Jewelweed is the uncooked flowers (yellow and red) and the stems and leaves which you do need to cook before eating. The leaves are best when they are young. To cook this plant, boil for about 15 to 20 minutes and change the water at least twice.

Never consume large quantities of Jewelweed because it will send you to the latrine. So use it as a supplemental food when you really need to stretch what you already have. I would suggest avoiding jewelweed completely if other foods are available.

The main use of Jewelweed should be for its medicinal uses.

Jewelweed can be found in most of the continental US and Canada except for the US Southwest, Montana and Colorado.

Jewelweed leaves are 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches long, which are egg-shaped and toothed. Both the leaves and the stems are hairless and the stems are hollow. The leaves put out an orange liquid if broken.

Jewelweed has unique flowers with two petals each with two lobes. A third petal that is 1/4 of the length and runs parallel to the flower. The flower has stalks as long as the flowers themselves. The flowers bloom from June to October.