Common Jewelweed vs Indian balsam

Impatiens capensis compared with Impatiens glandulifera

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Jewelweed	Indian balsam
Kingdom same	Plantae (planta)	Plantae (planta)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Ericales (Ericales)	Ericales (Ericales)
Family same	Balsaminaceae	Balsaminaceae
Genus same	Impatiens	Impatiens
Species	Impatiens capensis	Impatiens glandulifera

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Jewelweed and Indian balsam share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Impatiens.

Vista Genus: Impatiens

Conservation Status

Common Jewelweed

NE — Not Evaluated

Indian balsam

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Jewelweed	Indian balsam
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Jewelweed

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Japan), Europe (11 countries), and North America (Canada, United States).

Indian balsam

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Armenia, Japan, Kyrgyzstan), Europe (32 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand).

Common Jewelweed

Common Jewelweed (<em>Impatiens capensis</em>) is an annual flowering plant in the family Balsaminaceae, native to North America and widely distributed across portions of Asia and Europe. Its native range includes Canada and the United States in North America, Japan in Asia, and eleven European countries, reflecting a broad geographical distribution. The species typically inhabits diverse terrestrial environments, thriving in moist, shaded conditions such as stream banks, wetland margins, forest understories, and disturbed ground. It is well known for its explosive seed dispersal mechanism, which aids colonization of new sites. Common Jewelweed is frequently associated with riparian corridors and is valued in some regions for its traditional use as a remedy for skin irritation. Its conservation status has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.