PlantFiles: Balsam, Touch-Me-Not
Impatiens balsamina

I have loved these beauties since childhood. They are colorful and easy to grow.
Years ago I found a ten cent package of Touch Me Not seeds. I now have two yogurt cups full of seeds :) I harvest the seeds every fall and when I need a filler in my flowerbeds the next spring I toss down a handful and wait for the show. They are reliable performers and all that they ask in return is regular watering.

The flowers are beautiful and unpredictable in color, but the real fun is in the seed pods. Around early fall the pods start to form, and they are ripe near late fall. When they are at their ripest, a gentle squeeze will cause the pod to explode with surprising force! In my zone, they do self seed, but grow best when sown. Anywhere that has partial shade is suitable, but unless you want to water them every day, make sure there is a close overhang such as a couple shrubs. Keeping the soil moist is CRUCIAL.

Balsams are the easiest plant to grow as far as watered regularly.Just throw seeds on the grown and here it goes after a week or even in some days for some. The plant's pic i've post , i was asking if it would flower but when it did it was quite a surprise. Quite big for a balsam ( at least for this variegated colour ).Don't even know how the seeds got there.Pity balsam plants does not last long but have many seeds on the inflorescences.

I love to grow plants indoors. My friends say I have started an indoor jungle. This was my first little baby. She is growing fine and is about 4 inches now.

Now here comes the weird part. Today I noticed a Balsam has sprung up in the pot with my Sweet Pea Plant. (yes i know not a plant for indoors) Is this possible? It has not flowered. There is no way I slipped a seed into the other pot by accident. Wondering how it happened is killing me.

Touch-Me-Nots are very easy to please and add a nice splash of color. If given enough room, they get very bushy. They self-seed themselves very thick, so need to be thinned to prevent them from becoming spindly.

I had a lady tell me once that in her native country they used it to color their fingernails. Can't remember the country (Oriental, I believe) or the process though. She was delighted to see them here.

i collected the seeds from a local park here in new orleans so i could try them. they grew beautifully in the spring. a huge bed of them in a semi shade sun area. i just spread on top of soil and kept watered every day. they got very tall and when a heavy rain came they all fell over on each other. i staked them but they never looked as good. i tried cutting back but that didnt help. i was wondering if i collected the seeds from spring plants, could i dry them and plant a few weeks later for a new batch of flowers? has anyone tried this with this plant?

I would definitely recommend these to anyone who loves Impatiens but can't grow the sometimes shade-loving, water- guzzling Impatiens walleriana. I grew mine in full sun beside my asphalt driveway. They will also grow in shade. Only had to lightly water every few days if no rain vs. almost every day for my "shade" impatiens. My granny grew these and they are a perfect no fuss heirloom. They do re-seed but I like the cottage garden look. You can always pull or transplant the extras. They do replant well if kept watered for a few days. Very attractive to bees.

Lady Slipper, Balsamine, Jumping Betty and Touch-Me-Not, all old names for a long-loved flower. Touch-Me-Not refers to the spring-loaded seedpods that split apart when touched and launch the seeds. Rich and varied colors of white, apple blossom pink, red, salmon and violet, some spotted with white. Listed in a seed list of 1820. Self sows. Tolerates humid heat.

Annual; 2-2.5 ft tall
Seed to bloom: 10-12 wks
Color: Mix
Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained
Hardiness: TA
****************Sowing Instructions*****************
Type: Annual
Depth: Surface
Flat temp: 65-70F
Sprout time: 7-10 Days
Tip: Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before planting out after frost or direct outdoors after frost.

I bought my original seeds in Italy. I collect seeds every year and have had great results for three years running.

Collect when seed pod becomes slightly translucent, but before the seeds burst on their own. Seem to have a variety with light green stems and one with dark stems with hues of red streaks. We live in northern Virginia (U.S.) and have given seeds to my mother on Long Island, New York where they are also thriving.

Quickly and easily grown from seed. Planted in area of morning sun. Grew to over 4 ft. Even the foilage is striking. Comes in many different colors and really brightens up a shady or semi shady area in late summer through fall. A good plant to attract hummingbirds. Will self sow.

Seeds sprouted from my mother plant, but once the seedlings grew up to about two inches, the stems rotted. I love this plant and I don't want to lose them :(

It was one of the first plants I tried, and it's a great plant for beginning gardeners. It grows fast, produces many seeds, and almost every seed will give you a new plant. I remember I had purple, pink, red and white flowers, and tried to cross them to see what would come next, but I ended up planting something else on that bed.

It has sugar glands all over the stem and petioles that attract ants. The flowers produce a very sweet nectar that will attract bees and butterflies.

Once you grab a ripe seedpod, you'll understand why it's called "touch-me-not"! The ripe pods burst explosively in your fingers spraying seeds everywhere. When my child realized this, it was all I could do to keep him from bursting every one! I found that single flowered has a darker green leaf than the pale green leaves of the double flowered. The bugs sure liked these, they went after them and left almost everything else untouched.

Prolific re-seeder, loves full sun and is drought tolerant. Very attractive to bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

The original single flower has orchid-like blossoms.

It can grow considerably taller than 18 inches if the conditions are to its liking and the occasional specimen will become very bushy. It frequently reseeds itself.

Subject to mildew and other fungal infections.

The camellia-flowered form was developed in the early 19th century. Attractive, bright green leaves and camellia-type blossoms in bright mixed colours hug the entire length of the stem. This plant is a delightful old-fashioned addition to the garden. Provide shade in hottest climates.

Downside: it reseeds VIGOROUSLY!