Touch-me-not Family: Balsaminaceae

This is a small family with only two members common to the Northeast – jewelweed and pale jewelweed. Easy to spot, these water-loving plants have yellow to orange, irregularly-shaped flowers. Jewelweed has a distinctive spur which pale jewelweed lacks. The leaves wilt with too much sun and the stems crush easily releasing juice. Also known as touch-me-not or impatiens, some species have been cultivated to create houseplants and garden flowers.