In Seattle now, it sure is common. This annual grows only around lakes, among cattails, or in similar wet muddy sites. Often you can see it most readily from a canoe or kayak

--A. L. Jacobson, Wild Plants of Greater Seattle - Second Edition (2008)

It's not native here.

I have Impatiens capensis and I. pallida growing in my irrigated raised beds. They self-seed like crazy in wet soil. But once the weather gets dry, they only survive in irrigated areas. I've never seen them in the wild either. I'm probably going to kill them off; they're not that great.

That's funny, both the Burke Museum and the USDA Plant list imply that Impatiens capensis is native to the PNW. The book Handbook of Northwestern Plants, Gilkey - Dennis also list it as native.

Am I missing something?

You can certainly find Impatiens--whether it's balsaminaceae or ecalcarata, I wouldn't know. I've found jewelweed throughout Grays Harbor county (I'm sure it has a wide dustribution, but GHC is the locale I'm most familiar with), though not in an abundance that would suggest it was nonnative. Friends Landing and Lake Sylvia in Montesano, WA host the plant. I've seen it growing streamside at a few places around Aberdeen, WA. I'd also take any scientific reports of balsaminaceae introduction (vs native) with a grain of salt unless they're based on DNA evidence using more than a couple genetic markers. Not saying to throw caution to the wind, but there's usually a heated debate and fine line btwn what constitutes native or nonnative.

Another plant key, Flora of the Pacific Northwest by Hitchcock & Cronquist, which use to be the defivitive key for plants of the PNW, doesn't say it is a native but that it is common in Western Oregon and Washington, and throughout North American as well.

Yes, locust8, I am familiar with Grays Harbor County, having been born in Aberdeen, graduated from Montesano High School and Grays Harbor Community College, plus working at the Lake Aberdeen Steelhead hatchery for fifteen years I have seen jewelweed at Lake Aberdeen, Lake Sylvia, and other wetland areas that I worked, fished, hunted, botanized, and did nature walks.

I have even seen a few in King County along Issaquah Creek where I live and work now.

>That's funny, both the Burke MuseumBasic Search > Specimen List > View Full Record > ORIGIN: Introduced

I see it occasionally in Thurston county as well. Where conditions are wet enough it's rampant. Don't see it otherwise. It needs a pretty wet soil and can't take drying out.

The WA Native Plant Society considers I. capensis to be native.

My thanks to everyone for your input. Altho I water my flower beds, I have no wet areas where this plant would thrive. It doesn't sound like something I want to mess with.

Would this plant grow in an area which is shady and watered every few days? Thanks!

If the "everyday garden center" impatiens will grow in your spot, Jewelweed should too. If you do a web search, you'll find cultural requirements. I think the question about your location might be "how dry does your shady spot get between waterings...and how thoroughly are you watering?"

Thanks patrick888 for mentioning Impatiens glandulifera (Policeman's helmet) as a regret. I looked it up & realized what was given to me as touch me not is the same plant.

They've been coarse & tall, but the flowers are so lovely I have left them. Now I know out they must go before I have seeds to deal with for years in 3 beds!

Corrine