Consulta Plantas

Care of the plant Impatiens balfourii or Poor man's orchid

The genus Impatiens, family Balsaminaceae, comprises 1000 species of annual and perennial plants native to the Northern Hemisphere. Some species are: Impatiens balfourii, Impatiens balsamina, Impatiens sodenii, Impatiens glandulifera, Impatiens repens, Impatiens hawkeri, Impatiens walleriana.

Common names: Kashmir balsam, Balfour's touch-me-not, Poor man's orchid. This species is native of the Himalayas.

They are herbaceous plants with reddish and fleshy stems that reach 1 meter (3.28 feet) in height. The dark green leaves have long petioles and an oval-acuminate shape. The attractive flowers appear in clusters and have a pink lower lip and a white or pink upper lip with yellow spots in the center. They bloom in summer and fall.

Poor man's orchid is an easy to grow plant that is used in pots for patios and terraces, as isolated specimens and in flowerbeds.

Impatiens balfourii needs a semi-shade exposure, avoiding the sun's rays in the hottest hours of the day. It does not resist temperatures below 10 ºC (50 ºF).

The soil can be a garden substrate with manure, coarse sand, and leaf mulch.

Water abundantly (without flooding) so that the substrate is always wet.

Fertilize every 15 days with liquid fertilizer during flowering.

Prune withered flowers. If you want to save the seeds, you have to wait for them to bear fruit.

Impatiens balfourii can be attacked by insects or by rust and powdery mildew if there is excess humidity.

Kashmir balsam propagates from seeds sown in spring. It's usually grown as annuals.

Images of the plant Impatiens balfourii or Poor man's orchid