Idaho Jewelweed

Impatiens aurella grows up to approximately 460 mm (18 in) tall. The leaves grow to be 3–12 cm (1.2–4.7 in) long and the petioles are 2–4 cm (0.79–1.57 in) long. The yellow blooms (often have orange spots) are saccate sepal and approximately 1 cm (0.39 in) in length. The lateral sepals are smaller and bloom with five petals that are approximately 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) in length. The flowers bloom in sets of two. Typical of all impatiens, I. aurella has a small fruit capsule that contains up to six seeds. This fruit capsule will explode and disperse seeds around the plant, which is where the genus Impatiens gets its name.

This species of Impatiens is found in North America in the northwest United States from central Alaska to Washington, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, Canada. Impatiens aurella is known to grow in tall vegetation and cattails. It is typically surrounded by wetland habitats such as marshes, drainage ditches, and lakeshores in the interior cedar hemlock. It prefers organic soil, and will grow in both disturbed and undisturbed locations. Interestingly, the species rarely appears in abundance.