skycat 6,174 Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Growing next to an old railway line: about 4 feet tall. Don't look wild to me but I haven't a clue: Or maybe some exotic escapee! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
byron 1,190 Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Growing next to an old railway line: about 4 feet tall. Don't look wild to me but I haven't a clue: Or maybe some exotic escapee! looks like indian balsam. from what i am reading becoming a pest! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 6,174 Posted July 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 cheers Byron: I had an idea it might be a foreign invader: and not I'm not about to go and pull it up: it covers an area of about 12 x 12 feet and is right in the middle of a load of nettles. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
J Darcy 5,871 Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 It spreads like hell, one of my local woods is getting invaded and totally taken over by the stuff i have always called it "himalayan balsam", is this the correct name or is it indian???? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Groverdog 0 Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 is there any smell to it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
J Darcy 5,871 Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 yes......quite a pleasant one... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest MOLLY Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Is that the one when you brush past the seed pods they explode the seeds out? MOLL. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
J Darcy 5,871 Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ditch_Shitter Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Yeppers. Himalayan Balsam. Impatiens glandulifera. It is also known as " Indian Balsam " these days. I'm resisting an ethnic comment by sheer force of will here! I first came upon it as a garden plant, some forty odd years ago. Great stuff; It developes long, swollen seed pods which explode when touched, thus broadcasting a shower of seeds. Seems it's now becoming a recognised invasive of river banks and such places. Oh well. That by the river side. Japanese Knotweed elsewhere ..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
J Darcy 5,871 Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Cheers DS for clearing that up... i have used the name Himalayan Balsam all my life, just wondered if there was 2 species... used to love popping the seed pods as a kid. the spread of this is quite remarkable. it needs controlling. The thing i find curious is how has it spread so well/ The seed pods explode and propel the seeds, but these seeds will only travel 4 or 5 foot at the very most...so how the hell has it taken over even the tiny becks around me? Are the seeds sticky? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ditch_Shitter Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Are the seeds sticky? Not as I ever remember noticing, mate. They shower down like hale stones, don't they? I can only imagine then that they might prove attractive to birds, and yet undigestable? Or, given their new found propensity for colonising moving watersides; Perhaps they float well? I genuinely don't know the proper answer though. That's just conjecture from me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
montague 0 Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Yeppers. Himalayan Balsam. Impatiens glandulifera. It is also known as " Indian Balsam " these days. I'm resisting an ethnic comment by sheer force of will here! I first came upon it as a garden plant, some forty odd years ago. Great stuff; It developes long, swollen seed pods which explode when touched, thus broadcasting a shower of seeds. Seems it's now becoming a recognised invasive of river banks and such places. Oh well. That by the river side. Japanese Knotweed elsewhere ..... Feckin' ell, is there anything you DON'T know about Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gardener 0 Posted July 19, 2007 Report Share Posted July 19, 2007 Hi - they float! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
juckler123 707 Posted July 20, 2007 Report Share Posted July 20, 2007 They certainly do its all over the trent and all the waterways round here looks pretty but good for nothing other than looking at. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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