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Garden balsam
Florantsika, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Garden balsam

Impatiens balsamina L.

Names

EnglishGarden balsam
DutchBalsemien
SpanishBalsamina asiática
Chinese凤仙花
Scientific nameImpatiens balsamina L.

About this species

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 (7.9–29.5 in) tall, with a thick, but soft stem. The leaves are spirally-arranged, 2.5–9 cm (1.0–3.5 in) 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.

Read more on Wikipedia · Text: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Classification

KingdomPlantae
PhylumTracheophyta
ClassMagnoliopsida
OrderEricales
FamilyBalsaminaceae
GenusImpatiens