What Plant Is Impatiens? Get to Know This Herbaceous Flower

Flowers & Gardening Jan 1, 1970By Emily Carter 0 views

Impatiens, also known as henna, seed pod, and other names, is a herbaceous plant in the Balsaminaceae family. Because its flower head, wings, tail, and feet all curl upward like a phoenix, it is also called garden balsam. The leaves of impatiens are rich in color and vivid, and are deeply loved by girls.

Other Names for Impatiens

Henna, seed pod, daughter flower, garden balsam, impatiens stem

Morphological Characteristics of Impatiens

Annual herb, 60-100 cm tall. Stem thick and stout, fleshy, upright, unbranched or branched, hairless or sparsely pubescent when young, base diameter up to 8 mm, with numerous fibrous roots, lower nodes often swollen.

Growth Habits of Impatiens

Impatiens loves sunlight, fears moisture, tolerates heat but not cold. It prefers sunny terrain and loose, fertile soil, and can also grow in relatively poor soil.

Native to China and India. Widely cultivated in gardens throughout China, it is a common ornamental flower.

Main Value of Impatiens

Medicinal: The roots, leaves, and seeds of impatiens are all treasures. The root is the traditional Chinese medicinal material known as impatiens stem.

Food: Impatiens leaves can be blanched and served as a cold dish, and the seeds can be used as a soup seasoning, very delicious.

Ornamental: The flowers of impatiens are brilliantly colored and are very beautiful flowering plants.

Varieties of Impatiens

According to ancient flower records, there were more than 200 varieties of impatiens, and many varieties have now been lost. Because impatiens readily mutates, through artificial cultivation and selection, some good varieties have been produced, such as five-colored top phoenix, whose flowers grow at the top of the stem, with large and brilliantly colored flowers, as well as ten-sample brocade and others. According to different flower types, they can also be divided into rose type, camellia type, dianthus type, and others.

Flower Language of Impatiens

Don't touch me, derived from its English alias Touch me not, and in American English Don't touch me, because its seed pods will eject many seeds with just a light touch.