Spotted Jewelweed gets its name because its flowers look like tiny jewels dangling from a necklace. This annual is also known as Touch-me-not (which is also the Family name) because its ripened seed pods explode when touched, by a passing animal or even strong rain. These seeds are eaten by mice.

Its trumpet-shaped flower is orange with reddish-brown splotches, about 2.5 cm long and has 3 sepals. This flower’s nectar attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, who then pollinate the blossom.

Its leaves are oval, coarsely-toothed and alternate up the long brittle stem. They are thin and grow over 3-8 mm long. Undersides of the leaves are very pale. It grows to a height ranging from 50 to 150 cm. You can find the Spotted Jewelweed in the Algonquin Highlands from July to September in wetlands, near creeks and ponds. The sap of this plant has been used offset the itching of Poison Ivy.