A Jewel of a Weed

seed pods -- don't touch!(oh heck, go ahead!)

It is quite a beautiful plant, and it grows rampant  in various places around our property, including in the garden at Cedars cottage.






We are a big fan.  It is a beautiful plant, with a lovely orange and yellow flower.


But the real fun of the thing is this time of year, when the seed pods are thick and ripe.

a seed pod that has 'blown up' - this one caught in a spider's web,
and the seeds are still visible inside, not having been
thrown quite clear.

here's some scale -- they are tiny little things, but so very
powerful when they open.

The plant is called Jewelweed.  If you should encounter poison ivy, a rub of these leaves will help tremendously with the itching.


But it also goes by the name Touch Me Not.  Because the slightest touch on those fat juicy seed pods will cause them to quite literally explode, sending the seeds flying.













It is fun to go ahead and just lightly pinch the pods, to watch the thing go 'sput' and fire out the seeds.

you can see the size of the pods, the way the pods curl
up when they open, and the seeds in this picture.