Himalayan Balsam is a
non-native invasive
annual plant of the UK, typically found growing in damp woodland and the banks of rivers and lakes, to a mature height of up to 250cm.
Himalayan Balsam gets its name from its origin in the Himalayas and the scent given off by the plant. It was introduced into the UK in the early 19th Century as a garden annual. Himalayan Balsam is an attractive plant and the largest wild annual growing in the UK. However, its rapid spread to create dense stands along our waterways, to the exclusion of other species, is detrimental to species diversity and is contributing to riverbank erosion.
Botanic classification and naming: Himalayan Balsam is a member of the Balsam (Balsaminaceae) family. The genus name
'Impatiens' identifies the plant as a Balsam and its species name 'glandulifera' means 'gland-bearing'.
Concerns: Himalayan Balsam is listed as an 'invasive non-native' plant under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), prohibiting it from being planted, or caused to grow, in the wild. This would include, for example, introduction into the wild through the disposal of roots, plant material and seeds in garden waste or contaminated soil.
Benefits: Produces flowers with very high nectar production and is pollinated by honey bees, bumble bees and hoverflies.
Benefits to wildlife are also indicated with orange icons in the plant profile bar at the top.
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