Impatiens balsamina
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| Impatiens balsamina L. |
Impatiens balsamina (Garden Balsam or Rose Balsam) is a species of Impatiens native to southern Asia in India and Myanmar.It is called kamantigue in the Philippines.[1]
It is an annual plant growing to 20–75 cm tall, with a thick, but soft stem. The leaves are spirally-arranged, 2.5–9 cm long and 1–2.5 cm broad, with a deeply toothed margin. The flowers are red, pink, purple, or white, and 2.5–5 cm diameter; they are pollinated by bees and other insects, and also by nectar-feeding birds.[2]
Different parts of the plant are used to treat disease and skin afflctions; the leaves, seeds, and stems are also edible if cooked. Juice from balsam leaves treats warts and also snakebite, while the flower can be applied to burns to cool the skin.[3]
It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant, and has become naturalised and invasive on several Pacific Ocean islands.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Germplasm Resources Information Network: Impatiens balsamina
- ^ Huxley, A., ed. (1992). New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. Macmillan ISBN 0-333-47494-5.
- ^ Plants for a Future: Impatiens balsamina
- ^ Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk: Impatiens balsamina
