Earthen_Step
Well-Known Member
**Note: For external use only!**
**Also note: I am still in the learning phase of all of this -- Follow this at your own risk.**
**Also note: I am still in the learning phase of all of this -- Follow this at your own risk.**
This week has been a fun one. This is going to be a step by step tutorial on how to make a water and oil concentration of this specimen. Jewelweed grows wild around here (Northern New Hampshire) and we have a good amount of it growing in our yard. We want to extract its awesomeness so we can use it over the next year even while it's out of season! What this plant is used for is beyond the scope of this tutorial; look elsewhere if you need ideas for its implementation. We plan on using it only as a colorant and cosmetic application on future projects. We also will use it for personal use regularly. On to the extract process!
Step 1 (and possibly the most important step!): Identification of the plant is very important in any wild plant extract. You don't want to poison yourself with a look-a-like! I am unaware of any poisoned mimics of the spotted jewelweed but the pale jewelweed (impatiens pallida) does look similar. The biggest difference in the two is the flower. If it is a very light green or white flower you have the wrong plant. I don't think you will be satisfied at all if you are extracting the pale jewelweed.
Notice the orange/deep yellow main flower and darker orange spots. This is the spotted jewelweed and what we have local. The younger flowers have much less deep orange from what I have noticed. Also notice the distinct leaf shape; with it's sharp edges as it climbs to a peak. Another thing to note is its stem - it looks very segmented as it climbs to its next tier with bulges.
Continue at: http://earthenstep.blogspot.com/
I might reformat this for the forum soon. I'm too tired to do so now, but wanted to share!
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