Flowers

• Clusters of one to three flowers appear from July to September, appearing from the leaf axils of the upper leaves. Flowers have five orange petals and three yellowish orange sepals. Specks of dark brown and dark orange dot the flower. The flower has an overall tubular shape, with a conical nectar spur. The plant has a shallow root system. The plant reseeds easily thanks to its oblong seed capsules, which split apart and throw fertile seeds.
  
  

Foliage

• Orange jewelweed grows to be between 2 to 5 feet tall, producing succulent, round stems that may be light green to reddish green. Stems are fragile, glossy and slightly translucent. If the stem is broken, a mucilaginous fluid pours out. The thin, ovate leaves may grow to be up to 5 inches long. Leaves are toothed along the margins, and have a dull sheen.
  
  

Wildlife

• Orange jewelweed attracts a wide variety of insects and animals. The nectar-rich flowers attract bumblebees, honey bees, ruby throated hummingbirds and, occasionally, swallowtail butterflies. Caterpillars of moths such as the pink-legged tiger moth, white-striped black and the toothed brown carpet feed on the plant. Birds such as the greater prairie chicken, the bobwhite quail and the ruffled grouse feed on the plant's seeds, while white-tailed deer feed on the foliage.
  
  

Habitat

• Orange jewelweed is a native wetlands plant that grows throughout the United States, thriving in damp woodlands, swamps, roadside ditches and other moist areas. The plant prefers lightly shaded to partially sunny locations and fertile soil enhanced with organic matter. The plant can tolerate flooding for up to two weeks without suffering side effects. As a garden plant, orange jewelweed may easily be propagated by seed. Powdery mildew can occur late in the season.