Help, can anyone id this plant for me. I has a very thick stock that is hollow almost like bamboo but not as sturdy as bamboo. It produces a black seed that come in a pod that pops when touched. Very fast growing from seed. Beautiful purple, pink or white flowers. The branches form roots right at the stock. Any clues as to what this is?
Thanks
Jan
Here is a better pic
If no one here IDs it for you,take it to the Trees & Plants ID forum.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/plantid/all/
They are very fast at IDing plants.
Ohhhh. That's pretty. I'm anxious to hear what it is.
I found out what it is. Impatiens Grandulifera.
I have seed if anyone wants some. Send me a sase and I will send some out to ya.
Jan
Don't forget to mark your thread in Plant ID "SOLVED".
Beautiful!!
Plant ID Solved
Here I go giving you info that you won't necessarily be happy to get. I just had the same plant ID'd in the plant ID forum and also found out it is considered a noxious weed in most places. I checked and it is certainly one in my county. It's listed under 'mandatory control' status. I thought this plant was really very pretty and I'm letting it stay, but I'm making sure it does not go to seed.
Added this: I just looked closely at your photos and wonder if mine has the same growth habit that yours do. Mine is in complete shade so that might be the explanation. Here's a link to my thread with photos:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/896830/
This message was edited Aug 30, 2008 4:59 PM
I think it's so pretty - but I had been seeing some of the same info out there.
And it is as invasive as can be - we fight this all the time in the field area along the stream - some bright bunny further up planted it as a 'screen', and the seeds exploded and are carried down along the water course. It is tempting, but do make sure you control it carefully and keep it away from water.
OK if it is a noxious or invasive but I have some and love it. I also like the fact that it is not a deep rooted plant they pull up real easy. The bees love them I enjoy them so much, they are so beautiful and sweet. I got my first plant from a yard sale it has not spread except in the area I planted it. Here is a picture of mine also the name. Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera
A couple common names for this flower. Yes, I call it a flower! I love them. Yes, I have some. One way of controlling them is to pull up what you don't want when they are small, or before they bloom.
Giant poor man's orchid. There is a smaller one that I had when I lived in Auburn Wa. They never went farther than my very small yard.
Are also called policeman's helmet.
At one time, I had a friend who had a few of them that were striped!
There are wild ones that grow along streams that are yellow!!
Here is a pix of one of mine...
I have them also in pink and white. Love it and I pull it early so only get a few seedling. Would love a few seeds from your purple one. Patricia
As lovely as this species is (and it is absolutely beautiful), Impatiens Grandulifera does potentially present a serious threat to our native flora, particularly in riparian zones where it can easily out compete a lot of our more delicate native plants. Given the nature of this species’ seed dispersal it’s difficult, if not impossible, to ensure that seeds from garden plants don’t escape cultivation.
Right now our native habitats could use all the help they can get and as gardeners bringing in plants from all corners of the world it’s important that we be responsible stewards for the plants that are already here in our backyards and don’t knowingly contribute plants to our ecosystem that we know could have a harmful effect on that delicate balance.
Certainly I can appreciate being attached to a plant and everyone has to make the personal call about whether or not they really think they can keep a hold on aggressive varieties, but it's easy to say that 'I'll remove the flowers before they mature' but it's even easier to get busy or on vacation when that time comes around.
If you don’t already have Impatiens Grandulifera - noxious weeds are given that designation for a reason. It’s best to do everything possible to keep those plants from reaching new areas and if you have identified a noxious weed growing in your yard, especially if you live anywhere near natural areas it’s best to remove them no matter how pretty they are.
For those who love the look of Impatiens Grandulifera consider growing Campanula lactiflora, Delphinium or Lobelia cardinalis as non-invasive alternatives.
~Amanda
It's so true, Pixydish, and unfortunately it's true of many of the noxious/invasive designated weeds, a couple of years ago I was flipping through a booklet and was ready to run out and buy a Heracleum mantegazzianum when I saw these incredible pictures of it...of course then I realized I was flipping through a noxious weed booklet.
I grow a number of different much smaller impatiens varieties, but have you had any luck finding non-invasive impatiens that are of the more sizable sort like the Impatiens glandulifera?
~Amanda
It's always important to note, though, that what is noxious or invasive in some parts of the country is not in others. So not all hope is lost for those things that you love . . .
Speaking of something that is sold everywhere and should not be: Anyone wanna come help me pull ivy out of the wetland? It will be a lifetime effort.
That just means we have to be jealous of the fact that other people get to grow those varieties without concern, though the wonderful trade off is that we get to do that with their invasives so it does all work out in the end.
I don't even want to think about English ivy... I spent ten years eradicating it from my previous property because someone had thought it was pretty and planted it as a ground cover forty years ago. Here it's Scotch Broom - three acres of it. I certainly commend you in your ivy pulling efforts.
~Amanda
Thanks, Amanda, but my ivy pulling efforts aren't what they should be. Hmm, should I work on that new bed in back or go pull some more ivy in front? I seem to pick the new bed 9 times out of 10.
Fortunately, I don't have Scotch Broom (I think it's too wet here). But elderberry and salmonberry are my current decor.
