Flower · GBIF taxon 2891773
Garden Balsam
Impatiens balsaminaAlso known as Rose Balsam, Touch-Me-Not, Spotted Snapweed, Balsam
Garden balsam produces vivid, ruffled blossoms tucked close to succulent stems, flourishing in moist garden beds and shaded subtropical margins. Its ripe seed capsules build remarkable mechanical tension, bursting violently open at the slightest brush of a fingertip or passing animal to fling seeds meters away. Long cultivated across Asia for ornamental blooms and traditional nail dyes, it readily self-seeds and naturalizes in warm, disturbed soils.
FloweringAnnualOrnamental
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Sunlight
- Water
- Soil nutrients
Predators
- Slugs
- Spider mites
- Aphids
ThreatsHabitat loss, prolonged drought, powdery mildew
HabitatsRiverbanks, forest margins, disturbed ground, cultivated gardens
Life span1 year (annual)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderEricales
- FamilyBalsaminaceae
- GenusImpatiens
- SpeciesImpatiens balsamina
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Seed Pod Popping: Lightly pinch a swollen seed pod between your fingers to experience its explosive coiled dispersal.
- Light Requirements: Search in dappled shade where rich, moist soil protects the fleshy stems from midday wilting.
Pollinator Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Michael J. Papay, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michael J. Papay · cc-by
Close Relative (c) John Barkla, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John Barkla · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Forest and Kim Starr, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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