Family: Balsaminaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Species Plantarum 2: 938 1753
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Impatiens
Vegetable: False
Observations: W. & S. India, Sri Lanka
Description
Balsam, also known by its scientific name Impatiens balsamina, is a striking ornamental plant cherished for its vibrant and diverse flowers. Native to regions such as Western and Southern India and Sri Lanka, Balsam has become a popular choice for gardeners seeking to add a splash of color to their gardens.
Belonging to the Balsaminaceae family, this resilient plant is recognizable for its lush, green foliage and its delicate, yet vivid flowers that range in color from pink and red to purple and white. The blooms typically emerge in clusters, providing a striking contrast against the plant’s rich green leaves.
Balsam thrives in warm, humid climates, making it particularly well-suited to the monsoonal regions of its native habitat. The plant favors well-drained soils and can grow both in shaded and semi-shaded environments. It is commonly propagated through seeds, which germinate quickly, making it an excellent choice for those who seek instant and abundant blooms.
Interestingly, Balsam has a unique mechanism for seed dispersal. When the seed pods mature, they explosively release seeds at the slightest touch, a characteristic trait that has earned it the nickname “Touch-me-not”. This natural phenomenon not only aids in widespread seed distribution but also captures the fascination of those observing the plant.
Cultivated for both its ornamental beauty and its ease of growth, Balsam can be found embellishing gardens, borders, and walkways in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Its adaptability and eye-catching appearance continue to make it a beloved plant among horticulturists and gardening enthusiasts alike.
Understanding Balsam’s origins and botanical characteristics helps appreciate its role in the biodiversity of its native regions as well as its place in horticultural practices globally. As noted in historical botanical literature, specifically in Species Plantarum (1753), authored by the renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus, Impatiens balsamina holds a significant position among flowering plants. Its continued popularity underscores not only its aesthetic appeal but also its remarkable adaptability and resilience.
Common Names
Eng: balsam, garden balsam, rose balsam, spotted snapweed, touch-me-not
Ita: balsamina
Deu: balsamine, garten-springkraut, gartenspringkraut
Fra: balsamine, balsamine des jardins, impatience
Spa: miramelinda, balsamina, chachupina, chico, madama
Swe: balsamin
Hun: fájvirág, kerti nebáncsvirág
Ces: netýkavka balzamina
Khm: ស្មៅក្រចក
Nno: flittig lise
Nob: flittig lise
En: Balsam, Garden balsam, Touch-me-not, Rose balsam, Spotted snapweed, Garden-Balsam, ꯈꯨꯖꯪ, Balsam weed, Garden Touch-me-not, Jewel Weed
Af: Balseminie
Ar: بلظامينا
Hy: Հինածաղիկ
Az: Balzam xınagülü
Eu: Baltsamina jator
Be: Бальзамін бальзамінавы
Bn: দোপাটি
Zh: Feng xian hua, 凤仙花, 鳳仙花
Cs: Netýkavka balzamína, Netýkavka balzamina
Nl: Balsamien, Tuinbalsemien
Eo: Netuŝumino
Et: Balsamiin-lemmalts
Fi: Mummonpalsami
Fr: Balsamine des jardins, Impatience, Balsamine, Impatiente balsamine
De: Gartenspringkraut, Balsamine, Garten-Springkraut, Garten-Balsamine
Hu: Fájvirág, Kerti nebáncsvirág
Io: Balzamino
Id: Pacar air
It: Balsamina coltivata, Begli Uomini, Balsamina
Ja: Tsurifune-sō
Jv: Pacar Banyu
Km: ស្មៅក្រចក
Ko: Bongseonhwa, 봉선화
Ms: Pokok Keembong
Ml: കാശിത്തുമ്പ
Mr: तेरडा
No: Flittig lise
Nb: Flittig lise
Nn: Flittig lise
Fa: گل امپیشن بالزامینا
Pt: Beijo-de-frade
Ru: Nedotroga bal’zaminovaja, Недотрога бальзаминовая
Sk: Netýkavka balzamínová
Es: Balsamina, Chachupina, Madama, Chico, Espuela de caballeros, Espuela de Galán, Miramelinda
Sv: Balsamin
Zh-tw: 鳳仙花
Ta: காசித்தும்பை
Th: เทียนดอก
To: Polosomo
Zh-hant: 鳳仙花
Ug: خېنە گۈلى ئۇرۇقى
Vi: Bóng nước
Synonyms
- Impatiens balsamina var. vulgaris (Wight & Arn.)
- Balsamina balsamina ((L.) Huth)
Distribution
- India (native)
- Sri Lanka (native)
- Afghanistan (introduced)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Andaman Is. (introduced)
- Assam (introduced)
- Austria (introduced)
- Bangladesh (introduced)
- Benin (introduced)
- Brazil South (introduced)
- Bulgaria (introduced)
- Cameroon (introduced)
- Caroline Is. (introduced)
- Central European Rus (introduced)
- Chagos Archipelago (introduced)
- China North-Central (introduced)
- China South-Central (introduced)
- China Southeast (introduced)
- Cook Is. (introduced)
- Costa Rica (introduced)
- Cuba (introduced)
- Czechoslovakia (introduced)
- Dominican Republic (introduced)
- East Himalaya (introduced)
- Ecuador (introduced)
- Florida (introduced)
- France (introduced)
- Galápagos (introduced)
- Guatemala (introduced)
- Gulf of Guinea Is. (introduced)
- Hainan (introduced)
- Haiti (introduced)
- Honduras (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Jamaica (introduced)
- Kazakhstan (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Kenya (introduced)
- Korea (introduced)
- Laccadive Is. (introduced)
- Leeward Is. (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Madeira (introduced)
- Marianas (introduced)
- Marshall Is. (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Mauritius (introduced)
- Mexico Southwest (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- Mozambique (introduced)
- Myanmar (introduced)
- Nepal (introduced)
- New Caledonia (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New South Wales (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- Nicaragua (introduced)
- Niue (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Oman (introduced)
- Pakistan (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Primorye (introduced)
- Puerto Rico (introduced)
- Rhode I. (introduced)
- Rodrigues (introduced)
- Romania (introduced)
- Réunion (introduced)
- Society Is. (introduced)
- Solomon Is. (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- South European Russi (introduced)
- Tadzhikistan (introduced)
- Tanzania (introduced)
- Tibet (introduced)
- Tokelau-Manihiki (introduced)
- Tonga (introduced)
- Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
- Uzbekistan (introduced)
- Venezuela (introduced)
- Vietnam (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- West Himalaya (introduced)
- West Virginia (introduced)
- Windward Is. (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
- Zaïre (introduced)
Additional Images
Flower
Taken Aug 16, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 16, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 16, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 16, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 26, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken Sep 21, 2022 by Ysrael Machado (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 20, 2022 by Alana Souza (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 30, 2021 by a Angie (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 26, 2020 by Xavier Cristiane (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 26, 2018 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Oct 23, 2019 by camile maria (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 24, 2022 by frederic laurent (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 11, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 11, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 15, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Oct 27, 2022 by Tifani Voelcker (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 27, 2022 by Tifani Voelcker (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 7, 2019 by Guido Patron (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 30, 2021 by ℭ𝔩𝔞𝔯𝔦𝔰𝔰𝔢 (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 9, 2022 by Joséphine PARRENIN (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Aug 7, 2021 by Jesus José Onaldo de Jesus (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 18, 2022 by Tifani Voelcker (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 3, 2021 by pratiwir pratiwir (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 13, 2020 by Halifa Assia (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 26, 2020 by Kenneth Parker (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Aug 15, 2020 by Rico Mende (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 6, 2019 by Friedrich Schneider (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 4, 2017 by Pierre Bonnet (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 2, 2020 by Almodiel Lenneht (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 31, 2021 by Anne Bossard (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2891773)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:373978-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Impatiens balsamina L.)
Specifications
Growth habit>: Forb/herb