Saltcedar, Dryadella, Yes the photos on google images for Biophytum sensitivum match exactly with the plant. You guys are really experts, hats-off. Many thanks. best regards

There are a few North American natives in the "touch-me-not" family .... impatiens capensis (orange jewelweed), impatiens noli-tangere (western touch-me-not), impatiens pallida (pale touch-me-not), impatiens aurelia (pale yellow touch-me-not), impatiens ecalcarata (spurless touch-me-not). They're all annuals (I think), but with the seeds popping all over the place, there shouldn't be a problem keeping them going year after year. I've read that they need a cold/moist period to germinate, so they would be excellent candidates for WSing. Invasive? I suppose it could be, but you could keep those popping seeds in check, or be ready to pull up seedlings when you see them. I've seen seeds sold at Prairie Moon, but there must be other places where they are sold. (You didn't get any seeds from your relatives?) PV

Jewelweed, both Impatiens capensis (orange flowers) and the very similar Impatiens pallida (pale yellow flowers), are available from Elk Ridge Natureworks. Elk Ridge is in far western Maryland (Garret County) and does not sell by mail order, but they do participate in many plant shows and sales. Here is their contact information: Elk Ridge NatureWorks, LLC 283 Elk Ridge Lane Grantsville, MD 21536 tel. 301-895-3686 info@elkridgenatureworks.com plant list for Elk Ridge NatureWorks: http://www.elkridgenatureworks.com/prod01.htm participating plant shows: http://www.elkridgenatureworks.com/products.htm In addition (if you prefer mail order), Impatiens pallida is available from: Doyle Farm Nursery 158 Norris Road Delta, PA 17314 tel. 717-862-3134 jld@doylefarm.com plant list: http://www.doylefarm.com/catalog.html Both these nurseries carry Aquilegia canadensis, which is one of our most popular native wildflowers. Pretty much all native plant specialist nurseries and most well-stocked retail nurseries will have it. On varieties: Aquilegia canadensis is the one and only columbine species native to the eastern US and the mid-Atlantic region. There are a number of named cultivars; my impression is that differences in flower form and color among these are subtle. Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis/pallida) and Aquilegia canadensis have rather different preferred habitats. Jewelweed prefers moist to wet soil in shade, and can grow in swampy conditions; in other words, it does not demand "well drained". Aquilegia prefers well-drained soil in light to full shade and is especially good for "rocky woods, slopes, cliffs, ledges". However, Aquilegia canadensis is easier to grow in "average" garden conditions in our region than the many western US columbine species. (I checked information on the Aquilegia genus at USDA plants database. In addition to A. canadensis, the only eastern US species, there are 20 western US species, and one introduced European (A. vulgaris).)

Welcome! To answer your questions: -- yes, it is super easy to grow. I had mine in shady, moist soil and it thrived. I've seen it colonize the edges of a dry dusty alley and thrive. In fact, it's kinda hard to discourage. -- It's an annual in this climate, so the plants die off in the winter. But it self-sows very readily, and it grows fast from seed to flowering plant. -- It's a wild plant originally, and is pretty common on the edges of woods. But it's also been hybridized and cross bred, and you can find it in garden centers as "impatiens balsamina" (the botanical Latin) or the common name, "Touch-me-not". (It got that name because the ripe seed pods sort of explode when you touch them, spraying the seeds a couple of feet.) I think the original is usually shades of yellow and orange, and has coarser foliage, while the garden version seem to be usually cooler colors from lavender to purple red to pink and white, with a much more tame look. Wild jewelweed: Touch-me-nots: Hope that helps! Here is a link that might be useful: Using jewelweed