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Impatiens balsamina - L.

Common Name Rose Balsam, Spotted snapweed, Touch-Me-Not, Garden Balsam
Family Balsaminaceae
USDA hardiness Coming soon
Known Hazards Regular ingestion of large quantities of these plants can be dangerous due to their high mineral content[172]. This report, which seems nonsensical, might refer to calcium oxalate. This mineral is found in I. capensis and so is probably also in other members of the genus. It can be harmful raw but is destroyed by thoroughly cooking or drying the plant[K]. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet[238].
Habitats Waste places in and around villages[260].
Range E. Asia - China, India, Malaya.
Edibility Rating    (2 of 5)
Other Uses    (2 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (2 of 5)
Care (info)
Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Impatiens balsamina Rose Balsam, Spotted snapweed, Touch-Me-Not, Garden Balsam


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Impatiens_balsamina_Blanco2.424-cropped.jpg
Impatiens balsamina Rose Balsam, Spotted snapweed, Touch-Me-Not, Garden Balsam
biolib.de

 

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Summary

Bloom Color: Lavender, Pink, Purple, Red, White, Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early fall, Late summer, Mid summer. Form: Upright or erect.


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Impatiens balsamina is a ANNUAL growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a medium rate.
It is frost tender. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Leaves  Oil  Seed  Shoots
Edible Uses: Oil

Leaves and young shoots - cooked[177, 179]. Seed - raw or cooked[177]. They are difficult to collect in quantity, mainly because of their exploding seed capsules which scatter the ripe seed at the slightest touch[K].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antibiotic  Cancer  Cathartic  Diuretic  Emetic  Expectorant  Poultice  Tonic  
Warts

The plant is cathartic, diuretic and emetic[240]. It is used in the treatment of pains in the joints[240]. The leaf juice is used as a treatment against warts[218]. The flowers are cooling, mucilaginous and tonic[240, 272]. They are useful when applied to burns and scalds[240]. The juice of the flowers is used to treat snakebites[272]. The flowers, and their alcoholic extract, possess marked antibiotic activity against some pathogenic fungi and bacteria[240]. The seed is expectorant and has been used in the treatment of cancer[218]. The powdered seeds are given to women during labour in order to provide strength[272].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Dye  Oil

A dye is obtained from the flowers and leaves[51, 178, 266]. The prepared juice has been used for dyeing finger and toenails red[4, 266]. The seed contains 27% of a viscous oil, though the report does not mention if this oil is utilised for any purpose[240].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Ground cover, Seashore. Succeeds in any reasonably good soil[1]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist well-drained humus rich soil in a cool site[200]. Another report says that this species requires warm, moist conditions[260]. Succeeds in sun or semi-shade[188]. Plants are not frost hardy, but can be grown outdoors in Britain by sowing the seed in a greenhouse and planting out after the last expected frosts. A polymorphic species[1], there are several named forms selected for their ornamental value[200]. This plant has seed capsules that spring open forcibly as the seed ripens to eject the seed a considerable distance. The capsules are sensitive to touch even before the seed is ripe, making seed collection difficult but fun[K]. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Extended bloom season in Zones 9A and above.

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TROPICAL ASIA: India, Myanmar

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Cardamine impatiensNarrowleaf bittercressAnnual/Biennial0.6 4-8  LMHSNMWe210
Impatiens aurellaPaleyellow touch-me-notAnnual0.0 0-0  LMHSNM222
Impatiens capensisJewelweedAnnual1.2 - FLMHSNM322
Impatiens ecalcarata Annual0.0 -  LMHSNM222
Impatiens edgeworthii Annual0.6 -  LMHSNM001
Impatiens glanduliferaJewelweed, Ornamental jewelweedAnnual1.5 5-9 FLMHSNM312
Impatiens noli-tangereTouch-Me-NotAnnual1.0 5-9  LMHSNM32 
Impatiens occidentalis Annual0.0 -  LMHSNM322
Impatiens pallidaPale Jewelweed, Pale touch-me-notAnnual1.5 7-10  LMHSNM332
Impatiens parvifloraSmallflower touchmenotAnnual1.0 0-0  LMHSNM222
Impatiens sulcata Annual1.5 -  LMHSNM20 
Impatiens textori Annual0.6 -  LMHSNMWe10 
Impatiens tingens Annual0.6 -  LMHSNM10 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

200266

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Dominic Ho Kim Hui   Sat Nov 18 2006

Lots of useful information. I would like to add more. From our tried and successful experience, we make use of the white-flowered imatiens balsamina roots to treat snake bite or any other poisonous insect bites. To start with we clean the roots and have them dried in the sun unitl its completely dry. These dried roots is then soaked in alcohol usually rice wine.Its keep in a air tight bottle or container until the wine change to brownish colour which may take a few days.To treat snake bite we apply some to the affected bite area and we drink about two Table spoon full too. The result is very fast and immediate. I had personally known two cases where the would be patient was on the brink of collasping few minuntes into the bites! Thanks god, we have the portion with us which we always make sure each time we go to the jungle we have them along. Hope the above information is of use to you. Thanks.

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