I spotted a patch of plants along the highway the other day. It triggered a memory. I just couldn’t quite place it. They looked familiar for some reason.
Then it came to me. Sort of. I think those were those plants that we used to call “poppers” when I was younger. The ones with the exploding seeds.
I knew “poppers” was not the right name, so I had to find out what they really were. So I simply Googled “exploding seeds”. It wasn’t hard to find. They’re called touch-me-nots. What else would you call a plant that when you touch the seed pods, they seem like they are spring loaded. The seed pods explode and curl up like little springs and the seeds go flying.
I can remember finding the odd patch as a kid and spending time touching the seed pods. It was just kind of interesting. Most plants don’t react when you touch them. These do. So of course we would stand around popping seed pods.
They can also be called spotted jewelweed and are a type of impatiens. The impatiens name apparently coming from the fact they are so quick to explode when touched. But the Google search told me lots more.
Many gardeners consider touch-me-nots to be invasive. Apparently, once they move in they are pretty hard to get moved out. SO they aren’t really encouraged. But they have other values.
Hummingbirds love them and they form a large part of their regular diet. And they have been used as a medicinal plant for many things over the years.
The medicinal list was quite long. There were things like dysentery, sinus, diarrhea, alopecia and healing wounds on the list. Plus the plant apparently has antibacterial, antivenom, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, antifertility and aphrodisiac properties. There doesn’t seem to be a lot this plant can’t do. Although I don’t know what stages you need to harvest it to get it to do all these things and what all you have to do with it. I don’t know about the antidepressant part. You probably have to mix something up. But it always made me happy just to pop the seed pods.
But there was also one other little thing. The sap can be used to treat athletes foot and poison ivy. That poison ivy part could come in handy.
So there seems to be a lot about this plant that I never knew. Although maybe I should. Maybe we all should. Although it’s still fun to just pop the seed pods.