Impatiens balsamina – Indoor House Plants

Impatiens balsamina plant is a common plant which flowers annually. It is an ornamental annual herb, 30-90 cm high. Leaves up to 15 cm long. It is very easy to care for but they do enjoy a shady spot. It comes in wide variety of tones and different forms. The flowers are double petal and come in colors like White, red, orange, violet, yellow and pink. These flowers look like small roses. This plant is also known as balsam. It is used as a decoration for boxes on a balcony, for terraces, an open-air cafe. For medicinal purposes, balsam is used in the Urals, the Caucasus, Siberia, and Asia. Infusions, a decoction is recommended to use if stones are found in the bladder, kidneys.

Scientific Name: Impatiens balsamina
Common Name: Garden balsam, garden jewelweed, rose balsam, spotted snapweed, touch-me-not.

How to grow and maintain Impatiens Balsamina

Light:
Impatiens balsamina plants require full to partial sun for a healthy growth. In an area with very hot summers, plant them in partial shade, or shade them from the afternoon sun. An excessive amount of sun may cause browning of foliage, though a lot of shade may make the balsam plant leggy and flowerless.

Soil:
It requires well-drained soil. It tolerates damp soil
Prefers rich soil that is kept moist but not soggy and Performs best in warm weather. Soil pH can be anywhere between 6.1 and 7.5.

Water:
Water the plant with a drip line method and in the dry months, water the plants no less than twice per week. Water the plants at the root so that the powdery mildew does not occur. More successive watering is necessary if the plants are in small containers or hanging containers.

Temperature:
Normal temperature for balm is up to 22 degrees, in winter it should be at least 15 degrees, for no situation, it is impossible for the plant to cool.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize container plants every two weeks with a dilute solution of 10-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer.

Propagation:
Propagate by seed. Plant seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before the last spring frost. Provide temperatures of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Expect germination to begin in 8 to 10 days.

Harvest:
These flowers don’t perform well as cut blossoms and are best enjoyed in the garden.

Pests and Diseases:
Impatiens balsamina are susceptible to Spider mites, flower thrips, root-knot nematode, whiteflies, and aphids, especially under glass. Caterpillars outdoors. Gray mold, impatiens necrotic spot virus, fungal leaf spots, Rhizoctonia stem rot, Pseudomonas leaf spot, and Verticillium Wilt. If insect or disease problems occur, treat early with organic or chemical insect repellents and fungicide.