A "Jewel" of a Weed

This is the beautiful blossom of the perennial, indigenous Jewelweed plant so common all around New England. With all the big storms we've had in the past few years, knocking down shade-producing trees and flattening 15-foot high wild rose bushes, this perennial has been growing and spreading like crazy. We have hundreds of feet of this plant, almost 6-foot tall, lining the driveways and unmowed areas of Pink Gardens. The flowers are small, but beautifully shaped, almost Orchid-like. The stems are thick but soft, full of a "juice" that is a natural antidote for poison ivy and other skin rashes. It's almost a natural calamine lotion. You can just break a stem and rub it on your rash or cut down a bunch of them and chop it up in a blender making a salve.