# balsams (*Impatiens*)

Balsams are colorful flowers that bloom in many shades like pink, purple, and white. They are soft and pretty, making gardens and parks look cheerful and bright!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Urban areas, Gardens
- **Also known as:** Busy Lizzie

![balsams](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Impatiens_Glandulifera.jpg&width=800)

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. ArtMechanic assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Impatiens_Glandulifera.jpg)

## Appearance

The balsams has brightly colored, often flat-faced flowers in shades of pink, red, orange, white, and purple. Its stems are typically fleshy and translucent, supporting abundant blooms that create a vibrant display.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Ericales
- **Family:** Balsaminaceae
- **Genus:** Impatiens

## Interesting facts

- Balsams' translucent stems act like little windows, letting us see the water inside.
- Many balsams get the nickname 'Busy Lizzie' for their continuous flowers.
- Some wild balsams are invasive, growing very quickly in new places.
- The word 'Impatiens' means 'impatient' in Latin, referring to its seed pods.

## Special abilities

- **Explosive Seeds:** Balsams can launch its ripe seeds far away by exploding its seed pods when touched, helping it spread quickly.
- **Shade Seeker:** Balsams can thrive in shady spots where many other flowers struggle, thanks to its ability to photosynthesize with less sunlight.
- **Constant Bloomer:** Balsams has a special ability to produce flowers almost non-stop throughout the growing season, attracting many pollinators.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 15-100 cm
- **Spread:** 15-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-5 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Feeds on nectar and collects pollen.
- **Pollinates:** Painted Lady Butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — Visits flowers for nectar, aiding reproduction.
- **Eaten by:** Grey Field Slug (*Deroceras reticulatum*) — Feeds on leaves and young stems.
- **Parasitizes:** Impatiens Downy Mildew (*Plasmopara obducens*) — Causes leaf yellowing and plant death.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always wash your hands after touching flowers, just to be safe.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify balsams?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is balsams?

15-100 cm

### How wide does balsams spread?

15-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on balsams?

2-5 cm

### When does balsams bloom?

Late spring to fall

### Is balsams edible?

No

### Is balsams toxic?

None

### What is balsams's lifecycle?

Annual

## Where to spot

- [Jangansan County Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jangansan-county-park) — KR · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Balsams: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/balsams)