Balsam, Chinese (Impatiens balsamina), packet of 20 seeds

(3 customer reviews)

$4.95

Family: Touch-me-not (Balsamaceae)

Days to maturity: 70 days to flowers.

(Ji-xing-zi, Feng-Xian-Hua-Zi)  Annual.  Native to China.   The fleshy stems bear masses of highly decorative pink, purple, and lavender flowers that remain comely throughout the summer.  The entire plant is loaded with mucilage.  Traditional use (TCM, TWM): remove stagnation of chi, anti-itch.   Plant prefers full sun, rich soil, water.  Direct seed in mid spring or plant in pots and keep moist and warm until germination. Fast-growing, quick to flower.  Space plants 2 feet apart.  Grows 1 to 2 feet tall.  PS this is the easiest germinator known to gardener.

20 Seeds/pkt., Open Pollinated, Untreated, NO GMO’s

In stock

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5 out of 5 stars

3 reviews

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What others are saying

  1. itatane

    A great gift for budding gardeners and people who kill plants...

    itatane

    I was given a packet by a friend when I had just started into gardening. The blossoms are absolutely lovely, and this plant self seeds easily. (Hence the tongue in cheek title!) It has been years since I planted the originals, and the descendants come up like clockwork every year. The only thing is that it tends to wander, not as bad as Sweet Annie, or Common Yarrow, but be prepared for it to pop up in beds you never put it in.

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  2. Question

    Han

    Will this grow if I plant it now (august, zone 7, maryland)? Do you have other suggestions for things deer will be less likely to eat that I can plant, grow, and eat now? Thanks!!

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hello Han,
      Most things people plant in the fall like lettuce, carrots, chard and kale are also consumed by deer. The main deer resistant plants are perennial mediterranean herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, etc. These are edible but in small doses. Richo

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    • Feadly

      I grow this in north central WV, zone 6. It is left untouched by deer and reseeds very well. Doesn’t like to dry out.

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    • Richo Cech

      Richo Cech

      hey feadley, thanks for the info. i like these, too. even saw some when I went to China! Richo

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  3. One person found this helpful
    Christina churchwell

    Beautiful and Unique

    Christina churchwell (verified owner)

    This flower is a fast grower and so unique. I stated them inside with ease. Planted them in pots and some in herb garden. Strong stalks, no staking. But here is where they get interesting. One flower, gives multiple stalks with multiple colors!!! One stalk is purple and another stalk is almost a coral or pink color! I have never seen two different colors of flowers from one plant! All of them are doing it. Everyone who sees them notices them right away. I just love these!

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  4. 13 out of 13 people found this helpful
    Richo Cech

    Admin Richo Cech

    True confessions. I have given away probably many hundreds of packets of seeds for this little thick-stemmed pretty. It is a slightly backhanded gift. When I see an order come through from someone I think might have more stars in their eyes than practicality in their green thumbs (e.g. rhodiola seed to Arizona), I throw in a free packet of Chinese Balsam. It is the easiest germinator worldwide, suitable for people in all growing levels, in almost every gardening situation, anywhere. I did this for years with little or no feedback. Then, once, a customer got back to me and said “gee, none of the stuff i bought from you came to anything, but that balsam packet you gave me produced the nicest flowers…”

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