Impatiens balsamina
Impatiens balsamina, common name balsamina, madama or alegría, It is a species of the balsaminaceae family native to Southeast Asia. It is commonly used as an ornamental plant due to its profuse flowering.
Description
It is a herbaceous perennial that can behave as an annual in some climates. It does not usually exceed 60 cm in height, with watery and straight, highly branched stems. The light green leaves are simple, alternate, lanceolate or elliptical in shape, have short petioles and highly serrated edges.
Flowers arise in the leaf axils in sessile clusters of up to three flowers. The corolla is made up of two upper lips, three sepals, one of which forms a curved tube full of nectar, and three unequal petals in colors from white to yellowish or reddish, although pink or purple tones predominate. There are simple, double or semi-double varieties and their flowering is very abundant.
The fruit is an ovoid capsule that explodes when touched, scattering the seeds.
It can flower throughout the year.
Herodotus refers (Nine Books of History, book I, chapter CXCIV) that it was used in Babylonia to produce oil, which they preferred to olive oil.
Cultivation
Requires sunny exposure avoiding midday insolation. Moderate watering that keeps the soil always moist, but avoiding excess that could cause rotting of the stems.
If it is grown in pots, it should be moved indoors, as it cannot stand the cold (safety minimum of about 13 °C.), in a bright location and reduce watering.
It is advisable to fertilize during the vegetative period and transplant, if grown in containers, every spring, as it has an abundant root system.
It multiplies by cuttings and seeds.
It is prone to fungus, spider mite, whitefly, and aphid infestations.
Taxonomy
Impatiens balsamina was described by Carlos Linnaeus and published in Species Plantarum 2: 938. 1753.
- Etymology
Impatiens: The scientific name of these plants is derived from impatiens (impatient), because touching the ripe seed pods they explode, spreading them several meters. This mechanism is known as balochory, or also as "explosive release".
balsamina: epithet:
- Sinonimia
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Common names
- ornaments, belenes of Mexico, Capuchina of Cadiz, Chinese of Mexico, Madame de Cuba, miramelindos, nicaraguas.