Practical
Plants

Impatiens balsamina

Rose Balsam

an annual member of the Impatiens genus in the family Balsaminaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
annual
Height
0.6 m
Spread
0.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

Regular ingestion of large quantities of these plants can be dangerous due to their high mineral content[2]. This report, which seems nonsensical, might refer to calcium oxalate. This mineral is found in I. capensis and so is probably also in other members of the genus. It can be harmful raw but is destroyed by thoroughly cooking or drying the plant[K]. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet[9].

Edible uses

Leaves and young shoots - cooked[3][5]. Seed - raw or cooked[3]. They are difficult to collect in quantity, mainly because of their exploding seed capsules which scatter the ripe seed at the slightest touch[K].

Plant part
Leaves, Young shoots
Preparation
Cooked
Plant part
Seed
Preparation
Raw, Cooked

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The plant is cathartic, diuretic and emetic[10]. It is used in the treatment of pains in the joints[10]. The leaf juice is used as a treatment against warts[8]. The flowers are cooling, mucilaginous and tonic[10][12]. They are useful when applied to burns and scalds[10]. The juice of the flowers is used to treat snakebites[12]. The flowers, and their alcoholic extract, possess marked antibiotic activity against some pathogenic fungi and bacteria[10]. The seed is expectorant and has been used in the treatment of cancer[8]. The powdered seeds are given to women during labour in order to provide strength[12].

Plant part
Flowers
Product or use
Antibiotic
Plant part
Flowers
Preparation
Poultice
Product or use
Burns
Plant part
Flowers
Product or use
Tonic
Plant part
Flowers
Preparation
Juice
Product or use
Snakebites
Plant part
Seed
Product or use
Cancer
Plant part
Plant
Product or use
Cathartic
Plant part
Plant
Product or use
Diuretic
Plant part
Plant
Product or use
Emetic
Plant part
Plant
Product or use
Joints
Plant part
Seeds
Product or use
Expectorant
Plant part
Seeds
Preparation
Powdered
Product or use
Birthing aid
Plant part
Leaves
Preparation
Juice
Product or use
Warts

Material uses

A dye is obtained from the plant[14][4]. The prepared juice has been used for dyeing fingers and toenails red[13]. The seed contains 27% of a viscous oil, though the report does not mention if this oil is utilised for any purpose[10].

Plant part
Plant
Product or use
Dye
Plant part
Seeds
Product or use
Oil

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, India, Malaya.
Habitat
Waste places in and around villages[11].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in any reasonably good soil[1]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist well-drained humus rich soil in a cool site[7]. Another report says that this species requires warm, moist conditions[11]. Succeeds in sun or semi-shade[6]. Plants are not frost hardy, but can be grown outdoors in Britain by sowing the seed in a greenhouse and planting out after the last expected frosts. A polymorphic species[1], there are several named forms selected for their ornamental value[7]. This plant has seed capsules that spring open forcibly as the seed ripens to eject the seed a considerable distance. The capsules are sensitive to touch even before the seed is ripe, making seed collection difficult but fun[K].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩

  3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2

  4. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  5. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩

  6. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2

  8. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  9. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩

  10. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  11. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-330-37376-5

    ↩1↩2

  12. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  13. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩

  14. Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press 1984-00-00

    ↩

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