description Pale Touch-me-not Overview
Pale Touch-me-not (*Impatiens pallida*), also known as pale jewelweed, is an annual flowering plant native to the moist woodlands of eastern North America. It is characterized by its pendant, pale yellow flowers with backward-pointing spurs and its succulent, translucent stems. The plant's most distinct trait is its explosive seed pods, which burst open when touched to disperse seeds. It typically grows in wet, shaded environments along streams or forest floors, blooming from mid-summer to early fall.
help Pale Touch-me-not FAQ
How can I tell pale touch-me-not from spotted jewelweed?
Pale touch-me-not, Impatiens pallida, has pale yellow or lemon-yellow flowers, while spotted jewelweed, Impatiens capensis, usually has orange flowers with reddish spots. Pale touch-me-not also has a shorter nectar spur. [Missouri Department of Conservation](https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/pale-touch-me-not-jewelweed)
Where does Impatiens pallida grow?
It is an annual native of moist woodlands, stream banks, wet thickets, and similar habitats in eastern North America. Its soft, translucent stems are a useful field clue when the yellow flowers are not yet open. [Missouri Department of Conservation](https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/pale-touch-me-not-jewelweed)
Why is pale touch-me-not called a touch-me-not?
Like other Impatiens species, it produces seed capsules that can spring open when ripe and eject their seeds. The name refers to that explosive seed dispersal rather than to a need for avoiding ordinary contact with the leaves. [UMass Amherst](https://extension.umass.edu/weed-herbarium/weeds/impatiens-pallida/index.html)
Which pollinators visit pale touch-me-not flowers?
The flower's nectar is held in a backward-pointing spur, and bees are important pollinators of the species. The yellow, hanging flowers usually bloom from midsummer into fall in moist woodland habitats. [UMass Amherst](https://extension.umass.edu/weed-herbarium/weeds/impatiens-pallida/index.html)
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