Jewel weed should be all over where you live - sez where you find ivy you find jewelweed
Jewelweed is best known for its skin healing properties. The leaves and the juice from the
stem of Jewelweed are used by herbalists as a treatment for poison ivy, oak and other plant
induced rashes, as well as many other types of dermatitis. Jewelweed works by
counter-reacting with the chemicals in other plants that cause irritation. Poultices and
salves from Jewelweed are a folk remedy for bruises, burns, cuts, eczema, insect bites,
sores, sprains, warts, and ringworm. Read on to learn to make your own poison ivy
treatment ice cubes with Jewelweed.
Jewelweed is a smooth annual; 3-5 ft. Leaves oval, round- toothed; lower ones opposite,
upper ones alternate. A bit trumpet shaped, the flowers hang from the plant much as a jewel
from a necklace, Pale Jewelweed has yellow flowers, Spotted Touch-Me-Nots have orange
flowers with dark red dots. The seeds will 'pop' when touched , that is where the
name Touch-Me-Nots came from. The Spotted Jewelweed variety is most commonly used for
treating poison ivy rashes although the Pale Jewelweed may also have medicinal
properties .
Jewelweed blooms May through October in the eastern part of North America from
Southern Canada to the northern part of Florida. It is found most often in moist woods,
usually near poison ivy or stinging nettle. It is commonly said that wherever you find
poison ivy, you will find Jewelweed - however this is not true as Jewelweed will not grow
in dry places for long, and does not thrive in direct sunlight. Poison Ivy will grow in sun
or shade.
