Balsam Plant Information Tips For Growing Balsam Plants

Balsam needs moist, well-drained soil and performs best in partial shade locations. Amend the soil with compost and break up clods before transplanting young balsam. Spacing is 12 to 18 inches (30-46 cm.) apart.

How do you take care of a balsam plant?

The plants will need supplemental watering once a week in the summer. Frequent watering is necessary for balsam in containers and hanging baskets. Collect the seed pods carefully at the end of the season. Let the pod dry and keep in an airtight jar in a dark, cool area of the home until spring.

Does Balsam need sunlight?

Planting, sowing balsam

Prefer shade or part shade. One variety, Impatiens hawkeri or New Guinea impatiens tolerates sun. The soil must contain a lot of humus. Plant at least 8 to 10 specimens to a square yard (1 m²) to create amazing ground cover.

Where does balsam grow?

Balsam plants grow about 12 to 24 inches tall, making them suitable for the middle of the summer flower border as long as they are planted in early spring after the late frost.
...
How to Grow and Care for Balsam Flowers.

Botanical Name	Impatiens balsamina
Hardiness Zones	2–11 (USDA)
Native Area	India and Southeast Asia

Is Balsam annual or perennial?

Balsam is a Victorian garden favorite. It is a quick growing summer annual flower, with gardenia-like blooms. Continuous blooms grow on top of a bushy plant with glossy leaves.

Is Balsam plant poisonous?

This plant has low severity poison characteristics. A frost-tender annual, Garden Balsam is a sparsely branched that can grow up to 30" tall but frequently exceeds this height in the wild.

Is Balsam plant edible?

It is most commonly found along waterways and very damp areas, but can grow in drier areas, too. Use as a food The seedings, young shoots, leaves, flowers are all edible with caution - see Hazards. They can be eaten raw or cooked. The seeds have a lovely nutty texture and give a nice texture and crunch to salads.

Is Balsam a herbaceous plant?

Since Balsam is a herbaceous plant, it wilts during mid-day even if the soil is well-watered.

Do balsam plants have tap root?

Tap root grows at the end of the stem which goes deep inside the soil. Out of the main root grow a number of thin roots. Plants like neem, mango, carrot, mustard, bean and balsam have tap roots.

What does Himalayan balsam look like?

Himalayan balsam grows up to 3 metres high with a hollow and bamboo-like stem, pink-red to green in colour with green vertical grooves. ... Leaves are long, slender and shiny, with serrated edges and are dark green in colour.

How big do balsam firs get?

The balsam fir grows to a height of 45–75' and a spread of 20–25' at maturity.

How long do balsam fir trees live?

Although they live, on average, for about 80 years, some balsam fir trees have been known to live for up to 150 years.

Are balsam trees good?

Balsam and white pine were the only trees with enough space between the branches for lighted candles. But, yes, they do smell good. Turns out that pines and firs smell good because they contain volatile oils called "pinenes." These and several other chemicals form compounds which evaporate at moderate temperatures.

How can Balsam survive without leaves?

In the nonexistence of leaves, the stored food in roots and stems helps to execute all the food requirements of that plant. Thus, the plant survives without leaves.

How does Balsam disperse its seeds?

The pod or fruit of balsam tree are quiet light. These disperse the seeds by the splitting action of the pod it looks like an explosive event. The seeds may be dispersed by the distance of 3-5 meters from the tree. The seeds are blown by the wind or carried by the river to the distant locations.

Do impatiens grow back every year?

A: Impatiens do indeed come back from their own seed each year. You'll realize with experience that the seedlings don't begin blooming until late May, which is why most folks plant blooming, nursery-grown impatiens plants in April. To get yearly re-seeding, leave the bed alone after winter kills the plants.

What is balsam used for?

People use it for medicine. Canada balsam is applied directly to the skin to treat hemorrhoids and kill germs. Historically, it has been used for burns, sores, cuts, tumors, heart and chest pains, cancer, mucous membrane swelling (inflammation), colds, coughs, warts, wounds, and as a pain-reliever.

What is English name of balsam flower?

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.

How do you kill Himalayan balsam?

Himalayan balsam can be controlled by spraying the foliage with glyphosate. The plants should be sprayed in the spring before flowering but late enough to ensure that germinating seedlings have grown up sufficiently to be adequately covered by the spray. Glyphosate is sold under a number of brand names.

Is Himalayan balsam good for bees?

Himalayan Balsam is a good nectar source, and because it flowers late, it is widely loved by beekeepers. However, it is such a good source of nectar that often bees will visit Himalayan Balsam in preference to native plants.

How long are Himalayan balsam seeds viable?

Once established in the catchment of a river the seeds, which can remain viable for two years, are transported further afield by water.

How do you plant balsam?

Balsam needs moist, well-drained soil and performs best in partial shade locations. Amend the soil with compost and break up clods before transplanting young balsam. Spacing is 12 to 18 inches (30-46 cm.) apart.