What is the shape of the leaves of Impatiens balsamina?
The editor brings you the shape of the leaves of Impatiens balsamina and the related experience of planting flowers with the characteristics of Impatiens balsamina as a member of the Balsaminaceae family. Let's take a look together.
Bull Bull blogger is going to share the plant Impatiens balsamina (Impatiens balsamina L.) with everyone today. Impatiens balsamina is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Impatiens genus of the Balsaminaceae family. Its stem is robust, fleshy, and erect, usually growing to a height of 60 to 100 centimeters. The leaves are alternately arranged, with the lowest leaves sometimes opposite, and the leaf shape is lanceolate, narrowly elliptical, or oblanceolate. The flowers of Impatiens balsamina grow singly or in clusters of 2 to 3 in the leaf axils, with flower colors that can be white, pink, or purple. The flowers can be single or double-petaled. When mature, Impatiens balsamina produces broadly fusiform capsules, and the seeds are spherical and dark brown. The blooming period of Impatiens balsamina is usually from July to October.
Impatiens balsamina originates from China, India, and Malaysia, and is mainly distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa. Some varieties are also found in Europe, the temperate regions of Asia, and North America. In China, Impatiens balsamina is mainly distributed in the southwest and northwest regions, especially rich in species in Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, and Tibet. Some high-quality varieties can even be found in cold regions like the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, such as the "Fodingzhu" variety in Chifeng. Impatiens balsamina loves sunlight, is heat-resistant but not cold-resistant, and prefers to grow in loose and fertile soil but can also adapt to relatively poor soil.
Impatiens balsamina is a common ornamental plant in lawns and courtyards and is also suitable for potted planting. Its flowers are cool in nature and bitter in taste, with the effects of expelling wind and dampness, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, and relieving pain. According to the records in "Yi Lin Zhen Yao·Medicinal Properties," the flowers of Impatiens balsamina can also be used for washing and detoxifying sores. In addition, Impatiens balsamina itself contains a natural red-brown pigment, which can be used as a natural pigment. In India, people use Impatiens balsamina for dyeing, especially for dyeing fingernails. The method of dyeing fingernails involves crushing red petals with alum and then applying them to the fingernails. After multiple dyeings, it can effectively treat onychomycosis.
In addition to ornamental and dyeing purposes, Impatiens balsamina also has certain economic value. Modern research shows that the quinones and flavonoids in Impatiens balsamina have antibacterial and antioxidant activities, so they can be used in healthcare or as natural food additives. In Chinese folk, people often use the flowers and leaves of Impatiens balsamina to dye fingernails. Moreover, in Ninghai County, Zhejiang Province, China, Impatiens balsamina is used as one of the four main pickled vegetables. The pickled stems are edible, with a delicious taste and good storage characteristics, making them an excellent pickling ingredient in autumn.
In terms of the plant culture of Impatiens balsamina, it has an interesting flower language: "Don't touch me," derived from its English alias Touch me not. This is because the fruit of Impatiens balsamina will quickly expel many seeds upon slight touch. In addition, there is a legend about Impatiens balsamina. It is said that a long time ago, in Longxi, Fujian, there was a girl named Fengxian who fell in love with a young man named Jintong. To escape the pursuit of the county magistrate, they decided to leave their hometown together. On the way, Jintong's mother fell ill, and Fengxian and Jintong jumped into a bottomless abyss to preserve their purity. They dreamed to their parents, telling them that the flowers blooming in the ravine could cure their mother's illness. Subsequently, red and white flowers bloomed in the ravine, and Jintong's mother recovered after taking them. In memory of them, people named this flower Impatiens balsamina.
The above is a comprehensive introduction to the shape of the leaves of Impatiens balsamina and the characteristics of Impatiens balsamina as a member of the Balsaminaceae family, hoping to bring some knowledge about green plants to green plant enthusiasts.