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Himalayan Balsam

Himalayan Balsam Photo Credit: Nicole Kimmel, Alberta Agriculture & Forestry

Common Name: Himalayan balsam

Scientific Name: Impatiens glandulifera

Habitat: shoreline - in water and on land, forests - wet areas, ornamental beds

Provincial Designation: Prohibited Noxious

Prohibited Noxious weeds are plant species that are designated as "prohibited noxious" in the Alberta weed regulation. Prohibited noxious weeds must be destroyed, meaning all growing parts need to be killed or the plant's reproductive mechanisms need to be rendered non-viable.

Origin

Himalayan Balsam, also called Policeman’s helmet, is native to the western Himalayas. It was introduced to North America as an ornamental garden plant and was first recorded in Connecticut in 1883.

Legislated Because

Himalayan balsam is an aggressive invader of wetlands, streams and moist woodlands where it displaces native and beneficial vegetation, causing loss in native biodiversity. Seeds can be transported by water which helps this weed to spread quickly along waterways.

Description

The large white, pink, or purple flowers resemble a British policeman’s helmet.

The leaves are egg-shaped or elliptic with pointed tips and have a prominent red middle vein. They are arranged oppositely or in whorls of three. The leaf edges are sharply serrated and have glands.

Its stems grow 1-3 m tall.