Herb to Know: Jewelweed

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Pharmacist and herbalist Ben Charles Harris warns that jewelweed is extremely rich in minerals and may cause temporary digestive problems if a large quantity is eaten at one sitting. He advises that the herb be combined with other foods to which the body is more accustomed.

Jewelweed seeds, on the other hand, are eminently edible and have the flavor of English walnuts without the expense or the work (they have no hulls to speak of). You can collect them easily by putting a bag over the seed pods and then bumping them, exploding the seeds into the bag. Use the seeds as you would walnuts to flavor cookies, bread, ice cream, and puddings. Collecting the seeds is a fun activity to share with kids.

If your garden includes a shady, moist area, you may wish to establish your own bed of jewelweed. If you can’t find wild plants from which to collect the seed, check the sources listed at the end of this article. Sow seed early in spring and maintain at a temperature above 60°F; plant out into the garden after all danger of frost is past. Established plants obviously self-sow, though you never know where seedlings may appear. Move seedlings soon after they emerge.

If you don’t have jewelweed in your garden but live in its natural range, be on the lookout next time you go hiking. Watch for the transparent, water-engorged stems and the small yellow to orange spurred flowers, and map the location so that you can return to it for your yearly supply. There is no reason for even a day of suffering from ivy poisoning, insect bite, or several other minor discomforts when jewelweed is nearby.

Jewelweed Seed Sources

• Country Wetlands Nursery, Dept. HC, S. 75 West 20755 Field Dr., Muskego, WI 53150. Catalog $2.
• Hurov’s Tropical Seeds, Dept. HC, PO Box 1596, Chula Vista, CA 91912. Catalog $1.

Peter Gail is a plant ecologist and herbalist who operates Goosefoot Acres Center for Wild Vegetable Research and Education in Cleveland, Ohio. He writes a regular column on wild plants in The Business of Herbs and has published several books on the uses of backyard weeds.

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