Impatiens balsamina L.

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘I maintain that with no very great attention, and with little gardening knowledge, an amateur may produce Balsams in first rate beauty.’  [Gard. Chron. 1850].  ‘Few plants are more generally cultivated and more useful for decoration in the greenhouse than the Balsam.  It is a plant of exceedingly vigorous habit, and unless its energies are properly directed from the commencement it speedily assumes a lanky, naked appearance, which no after care can correct.’  [Gard. Chron. 1853].  Impatiens balsamina became something of a florists’ flower in the mid-19th century.  In 1838 Don wrote: ‘The varieties of this elegant plant, which cultivation has produced, are numerous, white, pale-coloured, red, purple, striped and variegated with these colours, single and double of each.’  An advertisement for William Jones, Seedsman and Florist, London in The Gardeners Chronicle listed ‘Twelve Extra fine double Balsams’, striped scarlet, striped purple, mottled scarlet, mottled purple, mottled crimson, rose, purple, scarlet, white, rosy-purple, crimson and rosy-scarlet.  [Gard. Chron. 1850].  Wm. Rollinson & Sons in the same journal offered 6 varieties of ‘Smith’s superb double Balsams’ as well as double Camellia-flowered varieties.  [Gard. Chron. 1856].  Introduced to Britain in 1596.  [JD]. 

History at Camden Park

Listed in all published catalogues [H.116/1843].

Notes