BotanyBlitz ID Tips: Jewelweed Seedlings
In March and early April, along wet roadside ditches, moist woodland openings, and shaded floodplains, you may find an abundance of a certain conspicuous seedling having large, rounded leaves that are shallowly notched at the tip:
(seedling pics by @terrikoontz)
These rubbery, bluish-green, and decidedly chonky cotyledons belong to Kentucky's two native Jewelweed species, the orange-flowered Impatiens capensis and the yellow-flowered Impatiens pallida. Both species have seed leaves that are distinctively oversized, with each leaf about the size of a quarter. As the stem begins to elongate, these seed leaves give way to the plant's true leaves, which are hairless, ovate, and broadly toothed along the edges:
(Jewelweed plants with stem leaves and cotyledons still attached by @mewells)
I'm not aware of a reliable way to identify Jewelweed seedlings to species, although later in the spring when the plants are larger, you can tell them apart before flowering time by examining the teeth along the leaf edges: the leaves of Impatiens capensis generally have 9 or fewer teeth on each side of the leaf, while those of Impatiens pallida usually have 10+ teeth per side.
And as always...
If these "ID Tips" journal posts have been singing your song, please do join the Kentucky Botanists Big Year 2022 iNat project, where I'll be continuing this series after the conclusion of KNPS's 2022 BotanyBlitz on April 9. I'd love to see you all there! :)
-Vanessa
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Interesting! I didn't know that it looked like that starting out. I can't wait for it to come back up! I use it for bug bites and when I think I might have brushed up against poison ivy when I am weeding and gallivanting around in the forest. I will go look for it using these photos as a guide...
Thanks @vvoelker
I've noticed the seedlings, but simply thought to myself, new springtime sprouts.
@ruthsworld @charlesandrews2 They definitely stand out when you start noticing them!
But also, a caveat! There may be a few species with seedlings that are somewhat similar, but Jewelweed is pretty unique in having probably the largest and broadest seed leaves that you'll see in its preferred habitats.
Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum) species also have fairly prominent seed leaves (more or less the size of a nickel), but they're still mostly smaller than Jewelweed and are softly hairy, whereas Jewelweed is hairless, rubbery, and blue-green all over. Here's what Great Waterleaf looks like as a wee baby, if you zoom in you can see the soft fuzz on its leaves:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/72217256
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/71846387
I'll have to check the texture of those seed leaves the next time I see them. Their diameter is at least half dollar size
If I thought I could mark the seedlings with little flags, so I could identify them later in the year, I would do it, but I'm sure the flags would most likely disappear.
Yes, I did notice that the waterleaf looks fuzzy from your links. Jewelweed is more waxy looking.
I am excited to go check the spots from last year to see if they are coming back up! Thanks
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