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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
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
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
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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 Plant Search
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Found In
Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available
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 :
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
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