Garden balsam is an herbaceous flowering plant in the Balsaminaceae family.

Flower/Plant name: Garden balsam

Latin name: Impatiens balsamina

Aliases: henna flower, little peach red, impatient seed

Family and genus: Balsaminaceae

Origin and habits: Native to India, southern China, and Malaysia. Cultivated in various parts of the world. It is an annual herbaceous plant. It likes warmth and fears cold, prefers full sunlight, and is suitable for deep, moist, loose, fertile, well-drained slightly acidic soil. Flowering period is June-September.

Morphological characteristics: Plant height 20-150cm, stems succulent. Leaves alternate, lanceolate, with sharp teeth along the edges. Flowers are solitary or several clustered in the upper leaf axils, or appear in raceme-like form. Petals are bilaterally symmetrical. Capsules are pointed-ovate, and seeds pop out when ripe. The plant form is variable, and flower colors include white, water red, pink, rose red, bright red, carmine, eggplant purple, purple, snow blue, etc. Flower types include single-petal type, rose type, camellia type, top-flower type, etc. According to plant height, it can be divided into dwarf, medium, and tall types.

Propagation and cultivation: Usually sown in spring in greenhouses, cold frames, or open ground. Sown in mid-April, flowers in mid-July. Flowering period is 40-50 days. Sown in late July, flowers can be used on October 1. During the rainy season, drainage and ventilation are needed. Main diseases include black wilt, rust, powdery mildew, leaf spot, etc.

Application: Garden balsam is one of the most popular herbaceous flowers among the Chinese people. It has strong adaptability, is easy to cultivate, and has rich flower colors. It has diverse flower types and variable plant forms, making it suitable for flower beds, flower paths, flower hedges, natural mass planting, and potted ornamental use, etc. Among the same genus, another commonly cultivated species is Impatiens apalophylla.