The Indian jewel grass (Impatiens glandulifera) divides the natural scene: for beekeepers it is a precious source of nectar – for environmentalists it is an aggressive invasive species that replaces native plants and destabilizes the riparian ecosystem. We will shed light on why precisely these contradictions deserve a closer look and show how they can be correctly classified.
Indian Balsam a newbie?
Maybe you were like us in childhood. We loved popping precious grass seed pods. Parents usually complained because they helped distribute the seeds. Balsam’s bad reputation comes from the fact that it is non-native and may crowd out native wild plants that grow in similar locations. This includes, for example, the Nettle OR Meadowsweet. However, the plant is an important pasture for bees and provides Bees above all a lot of nectar and also plays a role in folk medicine. Indian balsam has been native to Europe since the 19th century. It originally comes from the Himalayan region of India. Since it has been widespread in Europe for over 150 years and has become firmly integrated into local ecosystems, the term «neophyte» for this plant is no longer entirely justified. It has long since established itself and found a permanent place in the European flora.
How can jewelweed help with insect bites?
Indian jewelweed is not suitable for consumption because it is considered slightly poisonous and was previously sometimes used as an emetic. Plant sap, on the other hand, can be used externally and what it contains Quercetin can help with mosquito bites as it can reduce histamine release. It is best to take one or two leaves and rub them lightly between your hands until a gelatinous sap comes out. You can then put it on the shirt.
Additional Uses of Jewelweed
Since stonecrop is slightly poisonous, it hardly plays a role in herbal cooking. Only the flowers can be used for jelly. The seeds are also edible. However, they should only be used by experts. Pay attention to the leaves and stems. They should not be eaten as they contain relatively high levels of glycosides, which can lead to gastrointestinal problems and mild poisoning symptoms. The native (true) jewel weed, which has yellow flowers and is significantly smaller, is also slightly poisonous.
Do you already know our magazine Kräuterkeller? A print and digital version of the is published once a quarter Magazine of the Cantina delle Erbe (available here). The new summer edition is all about wild herbs in summer. In addition to wild herbs you will also find other ideas and recipes suitable for the season. Even our previous editions are still available in small quantities. You can purchase the magazine in our herbalist’s shop in both printed and digital versions www.die-moderne-Kräuterhexe.d
Further advice against mosquitoes and insect bites
Unfortunately, the jewel weed tip has been somewhat forgotten, but it’s important for us to bring awareness back to plants that are considered weeds and tend to be avoided. Often healing powers are hidden in such plants. That’s why we collect many of these tips and home remedies. Tomato leaves, for example, are very practical for keeping mosquitoes away. You can do it in the post “Tomato leaves against mosquitoes? Here’s how the home remedy works«Laws.
You get to know the power of nature better again
Many active ingredients lie dormant in local medicinal and wild plants, which we can find in many places close at hand. In most cases they are almost no longer used. It’s a shame because they are a free treasure. Our approach is to make this ancient knowledge of medicinal plants better known. For this reason we have decided to include erbal knowledge below www.die-moderne-Kräuterhexe.de also available in our books. There you will find, among other things, our entire book “With wild herbs and medicinal plants all year round“(available here), bringing you seasonally into the world of wild herbs. Included are many plant portraits that we photographed ourselves, as well as tips on how to use herbs in your medicine cabinet and kitchen. We have our own to match Seasonal calendar of wild herbs(available here)that we designed so you can reuse it every year. For the youngest collectors there is our children’s discovery book. With «Ben and Mara discover the world of wild herbs“(available here), children and adults will be able to venture together into the world of wild herbs. The children’s book is ideal as a practical book, because in addition to the story with Ben and Mara in this book there is also a child-friendly encyclopedia of wild herbs, as well as tips and recipes. Check out our online witch herb shop www.die-moderne-Kräuterhexe.de Above. There you will also find our other products such as our nettle book “Nettle – queen of wild plants“(available here) and ours Magazine of the Cantina delle Erbe (available here).
What to do if you get bitten by a mosquito?
If you’ve already been stung, you can do it too Baking soda help. Especially when the midge bites in the bedroom in the evening or at night, we have a bag of baking soda at hand. So you can quickly apply it to the bite without having to walk around the house for a long time, go back to sleep and the next morning there is almost no sign of the bite. You can do it in the post “Baking soda – Natural home remedy for mosquito bites«Laws.
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