Balsam, touch-me-not, or Vanka-wet. Forest balsam (touch-me-not) Wild balsam description

Balsam is a flowering plant, a herbaceous annual, very appreciated by gardeners all over the world, for its beautiful flowers and abundant greenery. The first mentions of balsamines in Europe date back to 1542, when the Portuguese brought it from America, and since that time this flower has not lost its popularity.

Garden balsam is a fragile, annual plant about 70 cm high, with a well-branching stem. It has simple or double flowers, sitting in the axils of the leaves, arranged in a regular order along the entire stem. Flower breeders also contributed to the popularity and distribution of balsam, creating more than 400 hybrids and varieties of this magnificent flower to the delight of gardeners who grow it on lawns, on balconies and even at home in flower pots and hanging pots.

Garden balsam is also excellent as a container plant that does not require any special care for itself and has many varieties for just this way of growing.

Balsam, whose Latin name is Impatiens, is translated as "impatient", but in the Caucasus and Central Asia it is called "touchy", and sometimes the name "jumper" is found. This name came about for a reason. The fact is that the fruits of balsam are similar to a box of an elongated oblong shape, with five twisted leaves, ripening, at the slightest touch of them crack and its seeds scatter in different directions, as if trying to get into the ground as soon as possible and give life to a new plant ...

In Russia, balsams are also known and popular and have been grown for quite some time. But the most beloved and widely known is the room balsam "Vanka wet". This plant got its name for the droplets of a whitish liquid protruding at the edges of its leaves. For its beautiful bright flowers, balsam is also called "light". But the British, a serious people, gave the balsam the nickname "troublesome or diligent Lizzie" because this plant has a long flowering period - from the beginning of July to the very frosts. For the more romantic Austrians, balsam is the "Lovely Wreath".

Not all balsams are medicinal

Garden balsam, so respected and loved by many gardeners for the most beautiful, amazing, large double or not, but equally bright flowers of purple, red, yellow or white are only decorative and have no medicinal properties.

Only forest, "wild" balsam, which can be found along the banks of forest streams, streams and in ravines, has medicinal properties.

Forest balsam is a poisonous plant, its use for medicinal purposes requires knowledge and care. The plant is annual, the flowering period begins in late June and ends in September.

Forest balsam - distinctive features

The balsam growing in the forest differs from its magnificent decorative counterpart in a more modest, less flashy and attractive appearance.

This is a plant with a knobby stem, which in appearance seems to be slightly translucent, especially when exposed to the rays of the sun, reaching a height of no more than one hundred centimeters. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, have an oblong ovoid shape along the edges, which have pronounced large teeth. Flowers of forest balsam are yellow, irregular in shape, there is an elongated spur at the tip of the flower.

The healing properties of the plant

Today balsam is one of the few plants whose chemical composition is still being studied. But even the information obtained by biochemical studies of this plant is enough to confirm the fact of the undoubted medicinal value of balsam.

So, during the period, however, only of its flowering, forest balsam contains a very large amount of ascorbic acid - this is an excellent natural remedy for the prevention of colds. Stems and leaves - alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, acids and tannins, a small amount of various resins, carotene, ceryl alcohol and sigmasterol. Balsam seeds contain about 60 percent fatty oils.

As a medicine, balsam is used both for external use and for internal use, in the form of decoctions and infusions. Taking decoctions or infusions made from balsam should be strictly dosed - it must be remembered that this herb is poisonous, an overdose when ingested causes severe vomiting.

Balsam in folk medicine is most valued for its beneficial effect on the kidneys and in general on the entire urinary system. The compounds that make up it crush stones in the kidneys and in the bladder well and gradually, with urine, smoothly remove them. Also, balsam helps to remove excess fluid from the body, which reduces swelling in some diseases. This wonderful plant has found its use in other diseases, such as

• purulent wounds and ulcers - they are washed with a decoction of balsam, which is prepared at the rate of 1 tbsp. fresh stems and leaves in 1 cup boiling water. These broth, after it cools down, moisten a gauze swab and apply to the inflamed area,
• hemorrhoids - make a decoction according to the above recipe, then moisten a gauze swab with it and apply it to the hemorrhoidal cones,
• rheumatism - an infusion is prescribed for internal use, and externally - baths can be done with the addition of a concentrated broth. The infusion is prepared as follows. You need to take 1 tsp. balsam leaves and pour boiling water for 20 minutes. After the infusion is infused and cooled, it is taken 1 (extremely rarely 2) tablespoons per day. Overdose can cause profuse vomiting.
• fresh wounds - apply juice, preferably freshly squeezed, but carefully, keeping in mind the toxicity of the plant. The juice heals the wound and relieves pain.
• dropsy - take the infusion.
• gout - use baths with a concentrated decoction of balsam and inside, drink 1 tbsp. infusion after meals.

This plant is also known in Tibetan medicine. Tibetan doctors recommend balsam to their patients for cardiovascular diseases. It is known that drugs, which include this plant, increase the amplitude of contractions of the heart muscle, while the heart rate slows down and has a depressing effect on the central nervous system. Also, in Tibet, balsam is used as an anthelmintic for diabetes, ascites and spasmophilia.

Chinese medicine has also paid attention to this wonderful plant. Chinese doctors use balsam for menstrual irregularities in women, as a stimulant during labor and as an anti-toxic agent for poisonous snake bites. Leaves are widely used by them as a wound-healing, antiseptic, diuretic, laxative and emetic.

It is also used to treat dermatomycosis. When various parts of the body are affected, a compress is made from a finely chopped ground part of balsam. To do this, use fresh leaves of a plant, which, after washing and cutting as small as possible, are wrapped in gauze, poured over with boiling water and applied to the affected skin area for 10 minutes.

Contraindications to the use of balsam

Forest balsam is a poisonous plant and its intake must be strictly dosed, and in the treatment of certain diseases, it should be carried out only under the supervision of the attending physician. In no case should decoctions and infusions of balsam be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as children under 14 years of age.

With caution, and it is better not to use the infusions and products of balsam at all for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Some people have an individual intolerance to preparations containing balsam, and allergic manifestations are also possible. An overdose of the drug can lead to poisoning.

A beautiful and very delicate plant of touch-me-not (the Balsamin family) belongs to a large genus, which is called just that - Touch-me-not. It has over 500 plant species. The gardening "career" of these plants developed with varying success: there was a time when they were admired and then undeservedly forgotten.

Today, the attention of gardeners and flower lovers is again riveted to them. Yellow, purple, crimson, pink flowers, long flowering are the main distinguishing features of these plants.

Spread

Impatiens from the Himalayas. It was brought in as an ornamental plant. Prefers moist shady areas, grows along the banks of rivers and lakes. The plant in natural conditions grows most often in tropical Africa and Asia, some representatives of the genus - in America and Europe.

In our country, almost everywhere you can find common touchy with small or large yellow flowers, as well as glandular, which has pink flowers. We will talk about them in this article.

Name

The name of the genus Impatiens consists of two Latin words: im, which means “no”, and patiens, which translates as “to endure”, “to endure”. Thus, the name of the genus means "a plant that does not tolerate being touched." It comes from the property of this plant to respond to the slightest touch.

Common touchy

A herbaceous annual plant up to 80 cm high with an erect succulent stem and a fibrous, branched root. Leaves are petiolate, alternate, with large denticles along the edge, oval.

The flowers are drooping, irregular, lemon-yellow in color, with a spur, usually collected in a brush. The fruit is an oblong capsule. During ripening, when touched, it cracks and forcefully throws out the seeds contained inside. Common touch-me-not blooms from the second half of June to the end of September. Prefers damp shaded areas, forms impassable thickets.

The chemical composition of this plant is still not well understood. It is known for certain that during the flowering of touch-me-not contains 68.5% vitamin C.

The use of touch-sensitive common

The plant is used only by traditional healers. The herb infusion is taken as an anti-inflammatory and diuretic for diseases of the bladder, kidneys, edema, and kidney stones. In addition, it is also used as an emetic. Wounds and ulcers are washed with infusion of herbs. Trays with infusion give a good effect for joint pain. Crushed leaves are applied to bruises, hemorrhoids.

Common touch-me-not has long been successfully used by traditional healers. For medicinal use, the plant is cut whole during flowering. Raw materials are dried by laying them out in the shade or in a well-ventilated area. Impatiens are used for external and internal bleeding, for stones in the bladder and kidneys.

Preparation of infusion

Two tablespoons (tablespoons) of crushed raw materials, brew 500 ml of boiling water in a thermos. Leave it to infuse for five hours. After this time, strain. Take the product warm. During the day, you need to drink 200 ml of the product in equal shares. Impatiens act on the uterus, causing its intense contraction with heavy bleeding. In addition, this infusion is recommended for the treatment of bleeding from the bladder and rectum. It is used externally to treat ulcers, wounds, hemorrhoids.

Common touch-me-not is a melliferous, medicinal, dyeing and poisonous plant. Self-medication should not be carried away, even if someone from your acquaintances advises you to "drink weed."

Impatiens glandular: description

This is also an annual. It grows up to two meters. Stems are straight, with internodes, often transparent, juicy, filled with juice. Leaves are alternate, elliptical, whole. The plate is shiny and delicate. Their length is 10 cm, the edges are serrated.

The second name of the plant is ferrous balsam (ferruginous balsam). The stalk of the plant is thick, highly branched, knotty, juicy. Leaves are ovate-lanceolate, can reach 12 cm in length. They are serrated along the edge, with winged petioles. At the top of the stem, they gather in whorls.

Wine-red, white, pink flowers of this type of touch-me-not are large, simple, gather in umbrella-shaped brushes of 10-14 pieces. The petals are 3-3.5 cm long. The flowers have a delicate and delicate smell, pollinated by various insects, but most often by bumblebees.

The touchy glandular has interesting features. Its leaves during flowering at the edges emit drops of sweet and aromatic juice, which forms sugar crystals upon evaporation. They attract ants. Peduncles lengthen significantly during flowering and hide, as if under an umbrella, under the leaves, protecting the flowers from rain.

The diameter of the flower (with enough heat and moisture) is 3 cm. In dry years, the touch-me-not glandular is covered with small flowers, however, in large quantities. They are more closed, but when the seeds from these flowers get into a fertile environment, they give beautiful large, well-developed flowers.

The fruit is an oblong multi-seeded succulent box, which consists of five valves. During maturation, the joints of the valves become weak, and the capsule is constantly in tension. If you slightly swing the stem or slightly touch the box, it immediately breaks with a crack, and the dark brown seeds are scattered with force to a distance of up to two meters. Many new plants grow from them every year. The seeds are spread over long distances by birds and animals. They do not lose their germination for eight years.

Touch-me-not and magic

In ancient times, it was believed that the touch-sensitive glandular is capable of magically opening locks, with one touch to destroy the prison bolts. It was believed that the flower can break gold and silver, iron and copper into small pieces. Thieves who found a touchy one made an incision in the palm of the hand, inserted grass into it, and then healed the wound. From the touch of such a hand, the locks supposedly fell from the doors.

People believed that everyone who just carried this plant in their pocket was reliably protected from any bullet. This herb, thrown into the forge of the enemy, deprived him of the opportunity to forge iron. But not every touch-up possessed magical properties, but only the one that was obtained with the observance of special rites.

It was necessary to find a hollow, in which a woodpecker made a nest, and at the same time there were already chicks in it. Then it was necessary to wait for the mother bird to fly away, and then close the nest tightly. Seeing that the nest is closed, the bird will certainly bring a stalk of touch-sensitive. His light touch will open the hollow. At this moment, the observing person should have screamed loudly for the frightened bird to drop the grass.

Breeding in the garden

Glandular touch-me-not is the largest plant of its kind. It is rarely bred in rural front gardens, since it gives abundant self-seeding, often "runs" over the fence and forms solid thickets of succulent stems. And gardeners and country house owners love balsams. They look great in curbs, ridges, or as the centerpiece of a flower bed.

The touch-me-not can become a perennial plant. If you grew it in the garden or on the balcony, cut the cutting and grow the flower in the room during the winter. The only drawback of this procedure is leaf fall in low light conditions.

The best place to plant the touchy is in a garden, in a well-ventilated, fairly sunny area with soil rich in organic matter. Gardeners need to know that touchy animals take out a lot of nitrogen from it, and therefore grow rather quickly. On scarce soils, they almost never reach their maximum size. Especially they do not like thickening balsams: the plants become stunted, and flowering ends very quickly.

In medicine, this type is not used. Gardeners need to be careful when handling this plant. The fact is that the touch-sensitive glandular is poisonous. And one more piece of advice. You should not plant this plant if the family has small children.

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Impatiens common Impatiens glandular Flower balsam

In the summer, I met an unusually beautiful forest plant with bright pink flowers in the forest, I have not seen such flowers before, it turns out it is called very cute - touchy, and I want to tell you a little about it.

See how many beautiful bright flowers on each plant! The touchy bloomed all summer, in the fall, until the first frost, stood in smart decoration.

Plants, like sentries, stood along the path, tall - up to 2 meters, taller than human growth. You walk along the path among the tall thickets, hung with tassels of flowers, you want to see them. And right after the rain, the touch-me-not stands as in precious stones, in which the sun's rays play and the sky is reflected.

How did she get here, on the forest path?

Common touch-sensitive - balsam flower

The touch-me-not plant grows mainly in tropical Asia and Africa, some species grow in Europe and America, more than 450 plant species are known belonging to the genus Touch-me-not.

In Russia, the common touch-me-not with large or small yellow flowers is widespread.

The common touch-me-not Impatiens noli-tangere L. belongs to the flowering herbaceous plants of the Balsamovye family (balsam is the name of the common touch-me-not). It grows everywhere, loves damp shady places in the forest, along river banks and along streams, moist peaty soils, grows in shady places in the garden, along fences. The main condition for the lush growth of touch-me-not is the presence of shade and a sufficient amount of moisture.

It is an annual plant usually 30 - 120 cm high. Stems are straight with internodes, juicy, often transparent, filled with sap. Leaves are alternate, whole, elliptical, shiny and tender, up to 10 cm long, serrated along the edge.

The touch-me-not flower has interesting features.

During flowering, drops of sweet juice are released on the teeth of the leaves, forming sugar crystals when evaporated, which attracts ants, distracting them from the flowers.

Peduncles of 2 - 5 flowers lengthen during flowering and hide under the leaves, as under an umbrella, protecting the flowers from rain. The flowers are usually large with a diameter of 2 - 3 cm under good conditions - sufficient moisture and heat. In dry time or in a dry place, the flowers of touch-me-nots are small, more closed, but if the seeds from these flowers fall into fertile soil, they give the same large, beautiful, developed flowers - this is how the plant adapted to survival under any circumstances, under the influence of external Wednesday.

The fruit is a polyspermous oblong succulent capsule, consisting of 5 valves. During the ripening of the fruit, the joints of the valves become very weak, and the entire capsule is in a state of tension. If you swing the stem or slightly touch the box, it instantly bursts with a crash along all the seams, tense cells, like springs, twist the shutters of the box from the bottom up in a spiral, and black-brown seeds shoot out of the box, forcefully scatter in all directions at a distance of up to two meters.

For "shooting" ripe seeds, the slightest vibration of the wind, a blow of seeds from a neighboring box is enough. Every year a whole forest of new plants grows from seeds, and everything is repeated anew. So the seeds are scattered, spread by animals, birds over long distances. Impatient seeds do not lose their germination up to 8 years.

The scientific name of the genus Impatiens comes from the Latin words im - means no and patiens - to endure, to endure, translated means a plant that does not tolerate being touched.

The Russian generic name of Impatiens also comes from the plant's ability to respond to minor touches, another popular name for the plant is jumper.

The scientific specific name of the common touch-me-not noli-tangere also reflects this feature of the plant, noli me tangere is translated do not touch me.

Touch-sensitive medicinal properties

Impatient, the jumper has a practical application, it has long been used in folk medicine.

For medicinal purposes, the plant is harvested, cutting off entirely during flowering in August - July. Dried, laid out in the shade in a ventilated area, with good ventilation.

The touch-me-not is used for internal and external bleeding, for kidney stones and bladder stones.

Preparation of infusion:

Two tbsp. l. Brew the chopped plant with 2 cups of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 5 hours, then strain.

Take 1 glass warm during the day in equal shares for several receptions.

Impatiens selectively acts on the uterus, causing it to contract with bleeding.

The herb infusion is taken orally to treat bleeding from the uterus, rectum, and bladder.

The infusion is also used externally for douching and baths, for the treatment of hemorrhoids, ulcers, wounds.

Warning:

• The plant is poisonous, care must be taken when treating.
• Do not exceed the dose of admission, in large doses, the herbal infusion can cause vomiting.

Touchy glandular

Glandular Impatiens grandulifera - this is the name of the unusually beautiful plant from which the story of the Impatiens began. It is also an annual herb, other names for it are ferruginous, ferruginous or ferruginous balsam.

The leaves are larger, up to 12 cm long, large flowers are collected in clusters of 2 - 14 flowers on long peduncles, there are various colors - white, pink, more often wine-red.

There is touch-me-not glandular from the Himalayas, was introduced as an ornamental plant, is now common in forests of temperate latitudes. Glandular - the name comes from the presence of glands at the base of the leaves.

Impatiens glandular is used to decorate hedges, decorate fences. The plant lives for a long time in breeding areas, spreads widely, runs wild.

Some plant species, Impatiens balsamina, are bred as decorative plants. There are garden balsams, they differ in appearance, they have straight stems up to 70 cm high, along which flowers or inflorescences of various colors are located - white, red, pink, orange, raspberry, lilac:

Balsam varieties of indoor unusual colors, simple and terry, have been bred, admire their beauty:

Balsam New Guinea photo:

The most famous plant in village houses is Vanka wet balsam, also a balsam with a popular name. It can be used as a living barometer - when bad weather approaches, with an excess of moisture, droplets appear on the leaves.

Balsams are propagated by seeds, cuttings. By pruning a plant, you can always give it a beautiful shape, and the colors always delight with variety.

Watch the video Balzamin. Flowers as a miracle - about taming the wild balsam flower, here are many useful tips for growing the most beautiful balsams:

Read interesting articles and see photos:

Blooming indoor plants photo

Spring rehearsal Exhibition Flowers tulips photo

Always be healthy and beautiful!

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Balsam (touch-me-not): medicinal properties and contraindications

Common touch-me-not or, as it is also called, balsam is an annual herb from the Balsamic family of the touch-me-not genus. Plant height, depending on the growing conditions, can be from 30 centimeters to 1 meter 50 centimeters. The root of the Impatiens is fibrous. The stem of the plant is glabrous, erect, with thickenings at the joints, very juicy. The surface of the stem is bare. Balsam leaves are quite long, reaching up to 10 centimeters. Their width is from 2 to 5 centimeters. The shape of the leaf plates is oblong-ovate or elongated-elliptical. The leaf edge is coarsely toothed. The lower leaves have a pronounced petiole, and the upper ones are almost sessile. The arrangement of leaves on the stem is alternate. Balsam flowers are collected in axillary inflorescences of 5 sagging flowers. The flower has an irregular shape and reaches a length of 3 centimeters. The color of the flowers is rich yellow, the smell is delicate, pleasant. Pollination occurs with the help of insects, mainly bumblebees. The fruit of balsam is a box of a linear-oblong shape with 5 valves, when ripe, it opens at the slightest touch, throwing out small brown seeds. It is because of this that the plant is called touchy. Balsam blooms from early July to early August, and the seeds ripen from late July to late August.

Common touch-me-not can be found in shady and damp areas of the forest, as well as in bushes growing on the banks of rivers and lakes. Balsam-touch-me-not is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere in countries with cold and temperate climates. In Russia, the grass grows everywhere, with the exception of the regions of the Far North.

Despite the fact that this plant is poisonous, it has been successfully used by traditional medicine for more than one hundred years. Until now, balsam has not lost its value for people as a medicine that cope with a number of diseases.

The chemical composition of balsam

Since the plant is not used in traditional medicine, its chemical composition has not been fully investigated. Despite this, in a general study of balsam, the following substances were identified in its composition: saponins, ascorbic acid, balsamosterol, fatty oil, parinoric acid, bitterness, essential oil, resinous compounds, caffeic acid, vanillic acid, ceryl alcohol, quercetin, kaempferol, tannins, alkaloids, sugars, glycosides, proteins and amino acids.

Due to these substances touch-me-not has many medicinal actions against various diseases. Often, the plant can easily replace expensive medications.

What is balsam used for?

The aerial part of the plant is used for treatment. Balsam is indicated for use as: diuretic, decongestant, destroying kidney stones, restoring the menstrual cycle, removing toxins, lowering blood sugar, soothing, astringent, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and hemostatic medicine.

For patients with hemorrhoids, balsam can be a real salvation. It is able to eliminate inflammation of hemorrhoids, relieve bleeding and pain. In addition, if the duration of treatment is observed, the nodes are significantly reduced in size, which allows you to completely forget about the disease.

The anti-edema effect of the plant is associated with its ability to activate the process of urination and urination. An interesting feature of touch-me-not is that under its influence only excess fluid is excreted from the body, which is why during treatment you can not be afraid of dehydration.

Noteworthy is the property of balsam to dissolve kidney stones and turn them into sand, which easily leaves the body in a natural way. Thanks to the plant, it is possible to completely cleanse the urinary system from foreign elements, even of significant size, which, in an intact form, could not pass through the ureters. In addition, while also providing an anti-inflammatory effect, touch-me-not completely eliminates the unpleasant consequences of urolithiasis.

The plant's ability to heal wounds was appreciated. Balsam stops bleeding in a short time and has a disinfectant effect. In addition, touch-me-not stimulates tissue regeneration, accelerating wound healing. Balsam will not be superfluous in the fight against trophic ulcers, which are almost impossible to heal with traditional medicines. The herb stops the necrotic process and helps cleanse the bottom of the ulcer from purulent-necrotic masses. After that, activating regeneration, balsam allows you to completely heal the wound.

Another effect of touch-me-not is that the calming helps to normalize sleep and eliminate excessive anxiety.

Contraindications to balsamine treatment

First of all, it should be noted that this herb is poisonous, and therefore all dosages and duration of the course of treatment should be strictly observed. Direct contraindications for balsamine treatment include:

• pregnancy;
• period of breastfeeding;
• children up to age 14;
• severe diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

It is unacceptable to neglect contraindications, as it can cause serious harm to health.

Recipes for folk remedies based on balsam

Remedy for eliminating kidney stones

To prepare the composition, take 1 small (teaspoon) spoon of crushed leaves of a plant, fresh or dried, pour 200 milliliters of freshly boiled water over them. Further, having covered the dishes with the composition with a lid, it is infused for 30 minutes. They use this medicine 3 times a day, 1 large (tablespoon) spoon after meals. The duration of the course of treatment is 10 days. In the event that the drug causes vomiting, it cannot be used.

For treatment, only fresh leaves of touch-me-not are used. After kneading a few leaves, they are applied to the sore spot for 10 minutes 3 times a day. If a particularly strong burning sensation occurs when the leaves come into contact with the skin, immediately remove the leaves and rinse the irritated skin with clean cool water.

For inflammatory processes in the body, you can use the fresh juice of the plant. It not only eliminates inflammation, but also has a mild analgesic effect. Having cut off several stems of the plant, juice is squeezed out of them, which is taken after eating strictly 2 drops, diluted in 50 milliliters of boiled water. No more than 4 drops of the medicine are taken per day. The duration of treatment is selected individually.

1 teaspoon of chopped plant materials is poured with 500 milliliters of boiling water and insisted for 20 minutes under a tightly closed lid. After that, having filtered the composition, it is consumed 1 tablespoon 1 time a day. The duration of treatment is selected individually, and it continues until the pain is completely eliminated.

The aboveground part of the plant is harvested at the time of flowering in places that are at least 3 kilometers away from hazardous industries and busy highways. The stem is cut with sharp scissors, stepping back from the ground about 3 centimeters. The grass is dried in a dark, dry, well-ventilated room, hanging in bunches of 3-5 stems. The finished dry raw material is placed for storage in a glass hermetically sealed container and placed in a dark place at room temperature. Dried balsam does not lose its medicinal properties for 24 months.

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Impatiens glandular: photo, medicinal properties

Impatiens glandular is an annual flower with a branched stem, reaches a height of 2 m. One of the classic annuals. It is famous for its long flowering. There are about 500 species.

Description of the plant

Touch-me-not, or balsam, is common in the northern hemisphere and the tropics. The flowers of the culture are large, on long peduncles, umbellate. They have a different color - white, pink, red. Pollinated by insects.

Garden balsam is a plant of the Balsamin family. Its most common names are "Vanka wet" and "Impatient". The second is due to the fact that the plant bursts during ripening even from a light touch and scatters seeds. In the middle latitudes of Russia, garden balsam is grown simultaneously as an annual and a perennial plant. The homeland of balsam is China. Planting and grooming, according to some gardeners, is a rather cumbersome business. The plant requires special attention. Balsam is used in folk medicine, although it is considered poisonous. It is especially popular in landscape design.

In horticulture, approximately 400 varieties of both annual and perennial balsams are known. They are classified as cultivated and ornamental plants.

Planting balsam

Planting a plant can be done both in a pot and in open ground. It is carried out mainly by seeds. Although you can buy an already adult plant.

Council. Balsams prefer slightly acidic soil, so add peat before planting in a pot.

The germination of the plant is high quality. Planting is carried out one seed at a time in a separate pot.

It is better to first grow plants in a pot, and only then transplant them into open ground

1. The plant must be kept at home within 3 weeks after planting.
2. After the emergence of shoots, the balsam must be transferred to a cool place, for example, to a loggia.
3. When the plant reaches 5 cm in height, it should be transplanted into a separate pot or open ground.
4. The root should be pinched off a little. This is done to stimulate root development.
5. Balsam is planted in shallow pits, slightly crushing the soil.
6. Loosen the soil around the plant. In order for the plant to be lush and grow better, the crown should be cut off.

Caring for the "touchy"

All types of balsams are sun-loving plants. In the summer, they are planted in open ground.
Planting is done not earlier than June so that the plant can acclimatize.

Council. The best option for balsam outdoors is partial shade.

In the winter season, a perennial needs additional lighting. With its lack or absence, balsams stop blooming.

Balsam is very thermophilic, so even in winter it is necessary to maintain the optimal temperature

The main problem in caring for a plant is the need to comply with the temperature regime. The optimum temperature for him in the summer is from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius, in the winter from 13 to 16. Frequent drops have a negative effect on the plant.

In the summer, watering balsam should be abundant, and infrequent in the autumn-winter. When watering, it is important to remember about the balance: the plant should not be dry or very moist, as this leads to rotting of the roots.

Fertilizers are used exclusively in the summer, once every 14 days. In winter, the perennial is fertilized only when it blooms. In this case, mineral fertilizers are suitable.

Plant propagation

Reproduction of balsam can be done in two ways.

Balsam seeds

1. Seeds. The plant has high germination characteristics. Sowing is best done in spring. In advance, balsam seeds are soaked in warm water for 10 minutes.
2. By cuttings. Cut off the tops of the plant up to 5 cm long, dipped in water until the roots appear. They do this, like sowing with seeds, in the spring. The process is quick and easy. To improve the development of the bush, cuttings should be pinched.

Dangers: diseases and pests

Like many representatives of the flora, balsam is susceptible to disease and insect attack.

The result of the impact of spider mites on balsam

1. Rot is a consequence of abundant watering during the cold season. To exclude the appearance of rot, water should not be allowed to stagnate in the soil or pot.
2. The spider mite is a serious enemy for the touchy. Modern chemicals will help to eliminate the pest.
3. Whitefly is also a nasty pest. The falling leaves are the result of her work. The fight against this unpleasant insect is carried out with the help of some chemicals.

Floral arrangements or combinations with plants

Gardeners prefer to plant balsam in group plantings. It goes well with begonias and bells. Some people like the composition of balsam with violets. Balsam looks interesting in a company with boxwood.

Balsam in the rock garden

"Vanka wet" is widely used in landscape design. It is used to decorate alpine slides, flower beds. Garden balsam is also used to decorate borders and create mixboxers.

Garden balsam is an annual that, with careful care, can become a perennial plant. Growing it is possible both at home and in the open field. Planting, breeding and caring for a plant can seem quite daunting to some. But the beauty of the annual and its fabulous flower-lights make up for everything in full.

As a medicinal plant, balsam is widely known in the Urals and Siberia under the name "Vanka wet".

He is also called "Impatient" in Central Asia and the Caucasus. The plant received all these names because of its characteristics. First, the ripe fruits of balsam crack, scattering seeds on the sides, at the slightest touch to them. Hence - "touchy" and "balsam", which is translated from Latin as "impatient". Secondly, on the edges of the balsam leaf there are droplets of whitish liquid, for which he was nicknamed "Vanka wet".

There are several varieties and varieties of this plant. In Russia, it was grown as an indoor flower; nowadays, balsam is very popular among gardeners. There are only about 400 such decorative species. But those that grow only in forest zones with a temperate climate - only eight species. And it is forest balsam that belongs to the category of medicinal herbs, although it is a poisonous plant that is used for health purposes, but they do it with caution.

You can meet balsam in a forest area on the banks of a stream or river, as well as in ravines, where the ground is wet and darkened. It has alternate ovoid oblong leaves, the edges of which are coarsely toothed. Inflorescences are yellow in the form of a brush, have a spur. Moreover, the flowers themselves are irregular in shape, five-petal, of which four grow together in pairs.

The stems and leaves of forest balsam have a fleshy, juicy, rich green color. The “touch-me-not” fruit is an oblong box with five curling leaves.

The healing properties of balsam

This plant contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, but only during the flowering period. In addition, the stems and leaves of the plant contain alkaloids, acids, glycosides, flavonoids and tannins.

"Impatient" is an excellent wound healing and anti-inflammatory agent for external use. For washing wounds, including purulent ones, as well as ulcers and hemorrhoidal cones, a decoction of balsam is used. The broth is prepared at the rate of one tablespoon per glass of boiling water, when the broth cools down, a gauze swab is moistened in it, which is then applied to the inflamed surface.

Freshly squeezed juice from balsam leaves is also great for wound healing and pain relief, but should be used with great care.

The main medicinal properties of balsam, for which it is so valued in folk medicine, is a beneficial effect on the kidneys and the entire urinary system.... Balsam has proven to be excellent in the treatment of kidney and bladder stones. The substances contained in it grind stones into sand, and smoothly remove them. In addition, the plant contains compounds that help remove excess fluid from the body.

Take the infusion and decoction of this herb should be strictly dosed, remembering that it is poisonous. In order to prepare the infusion, take one teaspoon of balsam leaves and stalks, pour a glass of boiling water, and infuse for 20 minutes in a warm place. Take an infusion of balsam no more than one tablespoon at a time, and no more than two tablespoons per day.

In addition to urolithiasis, balsam is used to treat gout and rheumatism: baths are used with the addition of a concentrated decoction, and one tablespoon of the herb infusion is taken orally after meals.

Contraindications

Balsam, as a poisonous plant, has a number of contraindications.

Firstly, preparations from this plant should not be taken by pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under 14 years old. Secondly, digestive diseases are contraindicated, balsam can irritate the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. In case of an overdose, balsam causes poisoning.

Respectfully,

Impatiens

In the summer, I met an unusually beautiful forest plant with bright pink flowers in the forest, I have not seen such flowers before, it turns out it is called very cute - touchy, and I want to tell you a little about it.

See how many beautiful bright flowers on each plant! The touchy bloomed all summer, in the fall, until the first frost, stood in smart decoration.

Plants, like sentries, stood along the path, tall - up to 2 meters, taller than human growth. You walk along the path among the tall thickets, hung with tassels of flowers, you want to see them. And right after the rain, the touch-me-not stands as in precious stones, in which the sun's rays play and the sky is reflected.

How did she get here, on the forest path?

Common touch-sensitive - balsam flower

The touch-me-not plant grows mainly in tropical Asia and Africa, some species grow in Europe and America, more than 450 plant species are known belonging to the genus Touch-me-not.

In Russia, the common touch-me-not with large or small yellow flowers is widespread.

Common touch-me-not Impatiens noli-tangere L. belongs to the flowering herbaceous plants of the Balsamovye family (balsam is the name of common touch-me-not). It grows everywhere, loves damp shady places in the forest, along river banks and along streams, moist peaty soils, grows in shady places in the garden, along fences. The main condition for the lush growth of touch-me-not is the presence of shade and a sufficient amount of moisture.

It is an annual plant usually 30 - 120 cm high. Stems are straight with internodes, juicy, often transparent, filled with sap. Leaves are alternate, whole, elliptical, shiny and tender, up to 10 cm long, serrated along the edge.

The touch-me-not flower has interesting features.

During flowering, drops of sweet juice are released on the teeth of the leaves, forming sugar crystals when evaporated, which attracts ants, distracting them from the flowers.

Peduncles of 2 - 5 flowers lengthen during flowering and hide under the leaves, as under an umbrella, protecting the flowers from rain. The flowers are usually large with a diameter of 2 - 3 cm under good conditions - sufficient moisture and heat. In dry weather or in a dry place, the flowers of touch-me-nots are small, more closed, but if the seeds from these flowers fall into fertile soil, they give the same large, beautiful, developed flowers - this is how the plant adapted to survival under any circumstances, under the influence of external Wednesday.

The fruit is a polyspermous oblong succulent capsule, consisting of 5 valves. During the ripening of the fruit, the joints between the valves become very weak, and the entire capsule is in a state of tension. If you swing the stem or slightly touch the box, it instantly bursts with a crash along all the seams, tense cells, like springs, twist the shutters of the box from the bottom up in a spiral, and black-brown seeds shoot out of the box, are forcefully scattered in all directions at a distance of up to two meters.

For "shooting" ripe seeds, the slightest vibration of the wind, a blow of seeds from a neighboring box is enough. Every year a whole forest of new plants grows from seeds, and everything is repeated anew. So the seeds are scattered, spread by animals, birds over long distances. Impatient seeds do not lose their germination up to 8 years.

The scientific name of the genus Impatiens comes from the Latin words im - means no and patiens - to endure, to endure, translated means a plant that does not tolerate being touched.

The Russian generic name of Impatiens also comes from the plant's ability to respond to minor touches, another popular name for the plant is jumper.

The scientific specific name of the common touch-me-not noli-tangere also reflects this feature of the plant, noli me tangere is translated do not touch me.

Touch-sensitive medicinal properties

Impatient, the jumper has a practical application, it has long been used in folk medicine.

For medicinal purposes, the plant is harvested, cutting off entirely during flowering in August - July. Dried by laying out in the shade in a ventilated area, with good ventilation.

Touch-me-not is used for internal and external bleeding, for kidney stones and bladder.

Preparation of infusion:

Two tbsp. l. Brew the chopped plant with 2 cups of boiling water, insist in a thermos for 5 hours, then strain.

Take 1 glass warm during the day in equal shares for several receptions.

Impatiens selectively acts on the uterus, causing it to contract with bleeding.

The herb infusion is taken orally to treat bleeding from the uterus, rectum, and bladder.

The infusion is also used externally for douching and baths, for the treatment of hemorrhoids, ulcers, wounds.

Warning:

• The plant is poisonous, care must be taken when treating.
• Do not exceed the dose of admission, in large doses, the herbal infusion can cause vomiting.

Touchy glandular

Glandular Impatiens grandulifera - this is the name of the unusually beautiful plant from which the story of the Impatiens began. It is also an annual herb, other names for it are ferruginous, ferruginous or ferruginous balsam.

The leaves are larger, up to 12 cm long, large flowers are collected in clusters of 2 - 14 flowers on long peduncles, there are various colors - white, pink, more often wine-red.

There is touch-me-not glandular from the Himalayas, was introduced as an ornamental plant, is now common in forests of temperate latitudes. Glandular - the name comes from the presence of glands at the base of the leaves.

Impatiens glandular is used to decorate hedges, decorate fences. The plant lives for a long time in breeding areas, spreads widely, runs wild.

Balsamic touch-up

Some plant species, Impatiens balsamina, are bred as decorative plants. Yes, they differ in appearance, they have straight stems up to 70 cm high, along which flowers or inflorescences of various colors are located - white, red, pink, orange, crimson, lilac:

Bred varieties balsams room unusual colors, simple and terry, admire their beauty:

Balsam New Guinea photo:

The most famous plant in village houses is Vanka wet balsam, also a balsam with a popular name. It can be used as a living barometer - when bad weather approaches, with an excess of moisture, droplets appear on the leaves.

Balsams are propagated by seeds, cuttings. By pruning a plant, you can always give it a beautiful shape, and the colors always delight with variety.

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Always be healthy and beautiful!