- A 360-degree view of Balsam's characteristics
- It is often found there
- External appearance: This is what makes balsam!
There are plenty of balsam species. Himalayan Balsam has become more and more familiar not only to most gardeners, but also to many walkers and nature lovers in recent years. It is considered a weed and is fought.
Balsam is an annual plant with fragrant flowers
A 360-degree view of Balsam's characteristics
- Plant Family: Balsamaceae
- Lifespan: one year
- Origin: Central Asia (especially East India)
- Growth: upright, up to 2 m high
- Leaves: lanceolate, toothed, green
- flowers: racemose, pink, fragrant
- Fruits: capsule fruits
- Seeds: brown-black, spherical, edible
- Location: sunny to shady
- Soil: nutrient-rich, moist
- Care: no care required
- Propagation: self-sowing
- Special features: neophyte, poisonous, rich supply of nectar
It is often found there
Impatiens - as the balsam is also called - prefers to settle in damp locations. It can also cope with wet substrates without any problems. It prefers nutrient-rich soil. You can find balsam in moist forests, parks, riparian zones, roadsides and wastelands, among others.
External appearance: This is what makes balsam!
Upright and well-branched stems emerge from the flat root system. The stems are round in cross section and their color is pale green. Leaves up to 25 cm long are ovate-lanceolate on petioles. They are serrated on the edge and are arranged opposite to whorled around the up to 2 m high stems.
From the flowers
The 2.5 to 4 cm long pharyngeal flowers turn the Indian Balsam into a pretty ornamental plant. They are racemose inflorescences consisting of up to 15 individual flowers. These smell strongly sweet and are colored pink to white. The flowering period lasts from June to October.
The fruits and seeds
The fruits look interesting too. They are capsule fruits. They grow 1.4 to 1.8 cm (rarely up to 5 cm) in size. Each capsule contains up to 15 seeds. The seeds are 3 mm small and black-brown. Once the seeds are ripe, the pods explode open. The seeds are shot up to 7 m.
tips
Balsam seeds are ripe in autumn. They are edible and delicious. Its aroma is mildly nutty.