Garden Balsam

Impatiens balsamina

Also known as Blackberry Trifle, Balsam plant, Balsam weed, Jewel weed

HerboutdoorMedicinal

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About Garden Balsam

Impatiens balsamina, commonly known as balsam, garden balsam, rose balsam, touch-me-not or spotted snapweed, is a species of plant native to India and Myanmar. It is an annual plant growing to 20–75 cm tall, with a thick, but soft stem. The leaves are spirally-arranged, 2.5–9 cm long and 1–2.5 cm broad, with a deeply toothed margin. The flowers are pink, red, mauve, purple, lilac, or white, and 2.5–5 cm diameter; they are pollinated by bees and other insects, and also by nectar-feeding birds. The ripe seed capsules undergo explosive dehiscence.

Description adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Plant Details

Scientific name: Impatiens balsamina
Genus: Impatiens
Family: BALSAMINACEAE
Habit: Herb
Habitat: Grasslands and plateaus
Native to: Indo-Malesia
Distribution: Tropical Asia
Flowering & fruiting: August-February
Conservation status: Not Evaluated (NE)

Local Names

Hindi: गुल मेहेंदी Gul-mehndi
Nepali: तिउरी Tiuree, तिरा-मिरा Tiraa-miraa, पडके Padake
Bengali: দোপাটি, সপুষ্পক ও ঔষুধি উদ্ভিদ।
Tamil: Aivartenkittumpai, Aivartyenki, காசித்தும்பை
Telugu: Chilaka mukka puvvu, kaasithummi, Kasi tummi
Kannada: ಕರ್ಣಕುಂಡಲ Karna kundala ಗೌರಿಹೂ Gowri hoo
Malayalam: Tilo-onapu, കാശിത്തുമ്പ, Impatiens balsamina
Marathi: Chirdo, तेरडा Terada, तेरडा

Illustration representing the BALSAMINACEAE family

Botanical family

Balsaminaceae

Balsam/Touch-me-not family

Garden Balsam belongs to the Balsaminaceae family.

The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.

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