Impatiens balsamina, Balsam weed, Garden Balsam, Garden Touch-me-not, Jewel Weed

Last updated: February 8, 2026Reviewed date: February 8, 2026Reading time: 7 min read

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For severe symptoms, danger signs, pregnancy, child illness, or sudden worsening, seek urgent medical care.

বাংলা রোগী নোট এখনো যোগ করা হয়নি। পোস্ট এডিটরে “RX Bangla Patient Mode” বক্স থেকে সহজ বাংলা সারাংশ যোগ করুন।

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Article Summary

Key Takeaways

This article explains Facts of Garden Balsam in simple medical language.
This article explains Garden Balsam Scientific Classification in simple medical language.
This article explains Traditional uses in simple medical language.

Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.

Reviewed content workflowUse writer and reviewer profiles for stronger trust.

Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

Impatiens balsamina is also known as Balsam weed, Garden Balsam, Garden Touch-me-not, Jewel Weed, Rose balsam, Spotted snapweed, Touch-me-not, Touch Me Not Balsam, Garden Balsam, Impatiens, Garden Balsamine and Jewelweed. Garden Balsam is an annual plant which grows from 60 to 100 cm high. Stem are robust, erect with base measuring 8 mm in diameter. Stems are simple or branched, succulent, glabrous or laxly pubescent when young with fibrous roots and swollen lower nodes. Leaves are alternate, petiole 1-3 cm, leaf blade lanceolate, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic measuring 4-12 × 1.5-3 cm. Pedicles are 2-2.5 cm, bracteates at base, densely pubescent and linear bracts. Flowers are pink, white or purple and simple or double petalous. Sepals are lateral, ovate to lanceolate about 2 to 3 mm. An upper petal is orbicular, apex retuse and nucronulate. An ovary is fusiform and densely pubescent. Capsule is 1 to 2 cm, broadly fusiform, densely tomentose and is narrowed at both ends. Seeds are globose, tuberculate, black to brown and 1.5 to 3 mm in diameter.

Facts of Garden Balsam

Name	Garden Balsam
Scientific Name	Impatiens balsamina
Native	This species is indigenous to southern Asia in India and mainland Southeast Asia. It is has been introduced into South China, southern Europe and Turkey.
Common/English Name	Balsam weed, Garden Balsam, Garden Touch-me-not, Jewel Weed, Rose balsam, Spotted snapweed, Touch-me-not, Touch Me Not Balsam, Garden Balsam, Impatiens, Garden Balsamine, Jewelweed
Name in Other Languages	Bengali: Dopati (দোপাটি); Chinese: Fèng xiān huā ( 凤仙花), Fèng xiān tòu gǔ cǎo (凤仙透骨草), Jíxìngzi (急性子), Zhǐjiǎ huā (指甲花); Finnish: Mummonpalsami; Gujarati: Gulmendi (ગુલમેંદી); Kashmiri: Tatur (ततूर्), Ban-til (बन्-तिल्); Malayalam: Mechingam, Thottachinungi, Thilam Oonappuu (തിലം ഓണപ്പു); Marathi: Gulmendi (गुलमेंधी), Terada (तेरडा); Oriya: Haragaura; Russian: nedotroga bal’zaminovaja, недотрога бальзаминовая; Telugu: Gulivinda (గులివింద), Mudda Gorinta (ముద్ద గోరింత); Vietnamese: cây bông móng tay; Bangladesh: Dopati; Burmese: Dau Dalet; Chamorro: Kamantigi Chuukese: Pee-Cha, Pee Cca; Dutch: Juliaantje; French: Balsamine Des Jardins, Impatience; German: Balsamine, Gartenspringkraut; India:- Hindi: gulmendhi, Gulmehendi (गुलमेहंधी), गुलमेहद; Kannada: Karnamamdala (ಕರ್ಣಮಮ್ಡಲ); Sanskrit: dushpatrijati, Dushparijati (दुष्परिजती); Siddha: Kasittumbai, Tamil: Kaci-t-tumpai (காசித்தும்பை); Urdu: Gul Mehendi (مينہدي گل); Indonesian:- Javanese: Pacar Banyu, Minangkaba u: Paru Inai, Pacar Air Japanese: Tsurifune-Sō; Korean: Bongseonhwa; Malaysia:- Sarawak: Bunga Embung, Bunga Tabo, Hinai Ayam, Hinai Pacak, Inai Air, Lak Kecil, Dandalet; Palauan: Hosengka; Philippines:- Bikol: Suranga, Bisaya: Solonga, Suranga, Iloko: Kamantigi, Pampangan: Kamantig, Sulu: Saungga, Tagalog: Kamantigi; Russian: Nedotroga Bal’zaminovaja; Samoan: Patiale; Spanish: Balsamina, Chico, Chachupina, Madama; Swedish: Balsamin; Thai: Thian Baan, Thian Suan, Thian Dok; Tongan: Polosomo; Vietnamese: Bóng Nước, Móc Tai, Cây Bông Móng Tay, Móng Tay; Chamorro: kamantigi; Chuukese: pee cca, pee-cha; Palauan: hosengka; Cuba: madama; Netherlands: Balsemien; Saint Lucia: busy-lizzie
Plant Size	60 to 100 cm tall
Stem	Erect, robust
Leaves	Spirally-arranged, 2.5-9 cm long and 1-2.5 cm broad
Flowering Season	July to October
Flower	White, orange, pink-red or purple, 25-30 mm long
Fruit shape & size	Elliptic to fusiform, 1.2-1.4 mm long
Seed	Black-brown, sub-globose, 1.5-3 mm in diameter, tuberculate

Garden Balsam Scientific Classification

Scientific Name: Impatiens balsamina

Rank	Scientific Name & (Common Name)
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom	Viridiplantae
Infrakingdom	Streptophyta (Land plants)
Superdivision	Embryophyta
Division	Tracheophyta (Vascular plants, tracheophytes)
Class	Magnoliopsida
Order	Ericales
Family	Balsaminaceae (Touch-me-nots)
Genus	Impatiens L. ( T ouch-me-not)
Species	Impatiens L. ( T ouch-me-not)
Synonyms	Balsamina angustifolia Bl. Balsamina angustifolia Blume Balsamina balsamina (L.) Huth (inval.) Balsamina balsamina Huth Balsamina coccinea (Sims) DC. Balsamina coccinea DC. Balsamina cornuta (L.) DC. Balsamina cornuta DC. Balsamina foemina Gaertn. Balsamina foeminea Gaertn. Balsamina hortensis Desp. Balsamina lacca Medik. Balsamina minutiflora Span. Balsamina mollis G.Don Balsamina odorata Buch.-Ham. Balsamina odorata Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don Balsamina racemosa Buch.-Ham. Balsamina racemosa Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don Impatiens angustifolia (Bl.) Steud. Impatiens arcuata Benth. Impatiens balsamina var. brevicalcarata T.Cooke Impatiens balsamina var. coccinea (Wall.) Hook.f. Impatiens balsamina var. corymbosa Santapau Impatiens balsamina var. dahlii (Warb.) Schltr. Impatiens balsamina var. rosea (Lindl.) Hook.f. Impatiens coccinea Sims Impatiens coccinea Wall. Impatiens cornuta L. Impatiens dahlii Warb. Impatiens eriocarpa Launert Impatiens giorgii De Wild. Impatiens lobbiana Turcz. Impatiens lobbiana Turcz. Impatiens longifolia Wight Impatiens malayensis Griff. Impatiens rosea Lindl. Impatiens salicifolia Turcz. Impatiens sinensis Buch.-Ham. Impatiens sinensis Buch.-Ham. ex Benth. Impatiens stapfiana Gilg Impatiens tamsiana Exell

Traditional uses

The plant is used for treating diseases and skin problems.
Juice extracted from leaves is useful for treating snake bite and warts.
Apply the flower to burns.
In Asia, it is used for fractures, rheumatism and other health problems
It is used in Korean folk medicine for treating gastritis and constipation.
In China, the plant is used for treating bites of snakes and who ingested poisonous fish.
The pulverized dried stalks, juice from stalk and paste made from flowers are used for treating various health ailments.
The plant extract is used by Vietnamese to wash their hair in order to stimulate hair growth.
Medicinally, seeds and stem are used to promote blood circulation and to provide relief from sore throats.
In Asia, Garden balsam is used for treating fractures, rheumatism and fingernails.
In Bangladesh, flowers are used for treating neuralgia, lumbago, scalds and burns.
Apply the white petals juice topically for urticarial and dermatitis.
In Philippines, leaves are used in poultice for dissolve felons.
Leaves are used in Malaysia as a poultice for broken and torn nails.
Root decoction is used in Brunei for irregular menstruation.
Leaf juice is used to treat warts.
Seed powder is provided to women during labor for providing strength.
Flowers are used in Korea to produce an orange nail varnish.

Precautions

Allergic people should avoid it.
Use it in moderate amounts.
Consult the health practitioner before treating health ailments.

How to Eat

Petals are made into balls, dipped in a batter, shallow fried and cooked in a curry with sliced potatoes.
Seeds powder is added to tea.
Seeds are cooked or consumed raw.
In China, shoots and leaves are cooked and consumed.

References

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Start with a registered doctor or the nearest qualified health center.

What to tell the doctor

Write when the problem started and how it changed.
Bring old prescriptions, investigation reports, and current medicines.
Write allergies, pregnancy status, diabetes, kidney/liver disease, and major past illnesses.
Bring one family member if the patient is weak, elderly, confused, or a child.

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which danger signs mean I should go to hospital quickly?
Which tests are necessary now, and which can wait?
How should I take medicines safely and what side effects should I watch for?
When should I come for follow-up?

Tests to discuss

Vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation
Basic physical examination by a clinician
CBC, urine test, blood sugar, or imaging only when clinically needed

Avoid these mistakes

Do not use antibiotics, steroid tablets/injections, or strong painkillers without proper medical advice.
Do not hide pregnancy, kidney disease, ulcer, allergy, or blood thinner use.
Do not delay emergency care when danger signs are present.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

Rest, drink safe water, and observe symptoms carefully.
Keep a written note of symptoms, duration, temperature, medicines already taken, and allergy history.
Seek medical care quickly if symptoms are severe, worsening, or unusual for the patient.

OTC medicine safety

For mild pain or fever, ask a registered pharmacist or doctor before using common over-the-counter pain/fever medicines.
Do not combine multiple pain medicines without advice, especially if you have kidney disease, liver disease, stomach ulcer, asthma, pregnancy, or take blood thinners.
Do not give adult medicines to children unless a qualified clinician advises it.

Avoid these mistakes

Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

Severe symptoms, confusion, fainting, breathing difficulty, chest pain, severe dehydration, or sudden weakness need urgent medical care.

Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Doctor / qualified healthcare provider

Tests to discuss with doctor

Basic vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level if needed
Relevant blood, urine, imaging, or specialist tests only after clinical assessment

Questions to ask

What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
Which tests are really needed now?
Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Go to emergency care if you notice:

Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration

Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.

Step 1
Check danger signs first
If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.
Step 2
Record the symptom story
Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.
Step 3
Visit a qualified clinician
A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.
Step 4
Do only useful tests
Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.
Step 5
Follow up and return early if worse
If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips

Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.