Gul-Mehndi / Garden Balsam
Impatiens balsamina var. micrantha
Also known as Blackberry Trifle, Balsam Plant, Balsam Weed, Jewel Weed
- Habit
- Herb
- Native to
- India
- Flowering
- September-December
How to identify Gul-Mehndi
Identify Gul-Mehndi by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a herb habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Small-flowered garden balsam cultivar.
- Confirm leaf arrangement: Alternate.
- Confirm leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless).
- Confirm flower colour: Pink.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: September-December.
- Confirm it sits within the Balsaminaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Gul-Mehndi.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Impatiens balsamina var. micrantha
- Genus
- Impatiens
- Family
- Balsaminaceae
- Habit
- Herb
- Native to
- India
- Flowering & fruiting
- September-December
- Conservation status
- Endangered (EN)
Leaf characters
- Leaf arrangement
- AlternaterecordedOne leaf per node, arranged in a spiral or zigzag up the stem.
- Leaf surface
- Glabrous (smooth, hairless)recorded
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Gul-Mehndi itself; the rest are typical of the Balsaminaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Pinkrecorded
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Solitary
- Fruit
- Capsule
Characters marked “recorded” are for Gul-Mehndi itself; the rest are typical of the Balsaminaceae family — flowering plants only.
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
About Gul-Mehndi
Garden Balsam (Impatiens balsamina var. micrantha) is a herb in the Balsaminaceae family. It is native to India. Flowering and fruiting run from September to December.
Balsaminaceae
Balsam/Touch-me-not family
Gul-Mehndi belongs to the Balsaminaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Balsaminaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
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