General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Annual
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Plant Height: 12-36 inches
Plant Spread: 12 inches
Fruit: Dehiscent
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Pink
Purple
Red
White
Bloom Size: 1"-2"
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Summer
Late summer or early fall
Uses: Medicinal Herb
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Propagation: Seeds: Sow in situ
Other info: Also called "Touch Me Not" as the seeds jump out, easily reseeds in place.
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Pollinators: Various insects

Victory Seed Company sells seeds of Touch-Me-Not (Impatiens balsamina).

Image
Common names
  • Touch-Me-Not
  • Balsam
  • Rose Balsam
  • Spotted Snapweed
  • Brinco

Photo Gallery
Location: all photos from my garden
Date: 2019-06-17
Location: La Fortuna, Costa Rica | Old Photo
Date: 2022-12-17
Location: Birmingham, AL
Date: Summer 2017
These plants came from a seed
Location: Mid-Missouri, USA
Date: 2020-08-17
Multiple plants, multiple bloom colors
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-07-10

Date: 2021-09-17
Uploaded by joannakat
Location: Cordoba, Argentina
Location: Cordoba, Argentina
Location: Cordoba, Argentina
Location: Fairfax, VA | September 2022
Date: 2022-09-10
Location: Cary, North Carolina private garden
Date: 2021-09-15
Balsam, my favorite self seeding annual in my gardens
Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-08-06
Before blooming
Uploaded by joannakat
Uploaded by Gerris2
Location: La Fortuna, Costa Rica | Old Photo
Date: 2022-12-17
Location: Cordoba, Argentina
Location: Cordoba, Argentina
Location: IL
Date: 2009-08-08

Courtesy Outsidepride
  • Uploaded by vic
Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-09-09
Location: In my garden, Falls Church, VA
Date: 2017-06-21
Self sowed
Location: IL
Date: 2014-08-09
Uploaded by Gerris2
Location: In my zone 8 garden
Date: 2013-10-05
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-05-26
Location: My garden round bed
Location: La Fortuna, Costa Rica | Old Photo
Date: 2022-12-17
Location: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Date: August 25, 2007
Photo by J.M.Garg
Location: All pictures taken in my gardens
Date: 2011-08-27
Location: Cincinnati, Oh
Date: July 2009
Balsam, a prolific reseeder for shade
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2015-07-04
Uploaded by joannakat
Location: In my zone 8 garden
Date: 2013-10-05
Location: Mysore, India
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2014-06-26
Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2016-10-26
Impatiens balsamina seeds and seed pods.
Uploaded by Onewish1
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2013-08-05
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-07-29

 Photo Courtesy of Select Seeds. Used with permission.
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: my garden zone 7b NC, USA
Date: 2013-08-21
Uploaded by joannakat
Location: Athol, MA
Date: 2017-08-09
Location: My Cincinnati Ohio garden
Date: May 17, 2012
Spring emergence of balsam volunteers, varying number of true lea
Location: Mysore, India
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2013-08-05
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2013-08-05
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2013-08-05
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2013-08-05
Location: My Northeastern Indiana Gardens - Zone 5b
Date: 2012-06-19
Location: my garden zone 7b NC, USA
Date: 2013-08-21
Location: my garden zone 7b NC, USA
Date: 2013-08-21
Location: My garden frt side WG
Date: 2018-05-05
Location: Front garden
Location: my garden 
Date: 2014-07-10
Location: my garden - from seeds
Date: 2014-09-05
Location: my garden WG
Date: 2018-03-02
Location: Naylor, GA
Date: 2011-06-30
Location: Coastal San Diego County 
Date: 2017-12-11
Location: Coastal San Diego County 
Date: 2017-12-11
Location: Coastal San Diego County 
Date: 2017-12-11
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by sallyg (central Maryland - Zone 7b) on Dec 13, 2018 10:13 PM concerning plant:
    This is an easy flowering annual with unusual pods. The ripened seed pods turn yellowish and then pop open at a gentle squeeze and fling their seeds. Great fun for kids.
  • Posted by tabbycat (Youngsville, LA - Zone 9b) on Jun 18, 2018 4:23 PM concerning plant:
    My pretty rosy-pink volunteer plants that came up in April 2018 are 18 inches tall and in full bloom. They have spread through the flower bed all along a 6 foot wood fence that encloses my back yard. They are under tall ginger, the tall red and the white Star of Texas hibiscuses, climbing rose bushes, and even my cucumber vines I've trained up the fence. I love the accent they bring mixed in under tall plants.
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piksihk On February 21, 2018 Seeds sown
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front left side - pink
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WG pink and Unk color
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piksihk On February 16, 2017 Seeds sown
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piksihk On October 1, 2015 Bloomed
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