Itâs a beautiful shade of pink which gets brighter if you add tonic. The plant produces a large amount of nectar which may result in less pollination of native species by bumblebees and a subsequent loss of biodiversity. If you use assistive technology please tell us what this is. Traditional control methods are currently inadequate in controlling Himalayan balsam in the UK. This is often because the plant grows in inaccessible areas or sites of high conservation status where chemical and/or manual control is not an option. Its common name is “Policeman’s Helmet” due to the shape of the flowers. I've seen and admired whole swathes of Himalyan balsam along river banks, not once is there a scorched earth effect eating it's way out year after year into the surrounding fields denying the wildlife the vegetation and the farmers their crops. Treat with extreme caution, this is an invasive species. You can work all day & only find perfect leaves & stems with nary an insect to be seen. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. . I have literally seen forests of the stuff stretching as far as the eye can see with nothing else surviving underneath. nov.: a fungal agent for the biological control of Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). Edible weed: how to eat Himalayan balsam flower and use the stem as a straw, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. High rainfall and very efficient land drainage cause bank erosion, not a few puny plants that have hollow stems and virtually no root system. Suzy Peters. Chemical control Users must be aware of the risks involved when using chemicals to control any plant especially as it tends to grows near water. The common names policeman's helmet, bobby tops, copper tops, and gnome's hatstand all originate from the flowers being decidedly hat-shaped.Himalayan balsam and kiss-me-on-the-mountain arise from the plant originating in the Himalayan mountains. Pleasant and refreshing drink with a floral taste when mixed with tonic. However, it does have some redeeming features and whilst I can understand the reasons for it being much despised I feel somebody has to speak up in support of this controversial but defenceless and, even though invidious of me to say it, invaluable plant! Himalayan Balsam is a common weed familiar to everybody. Like most essential oils, balsam essential oil has ⦠any others (hundreds) just get pinched off or if I'm feeling energetic just pulled and tossed on the ground to wither and help compost. V.demoralizing. On my stretch of river, the balsam was just as prolific 50 years ago as it is today, and in that time we have not lost a single species of native plant. I HAVE managed several miles of the River Ure between West Tanfield and Ripon for 50 years. I shall treat them with extreme caution!! Here in Essex England it is very dry, so each year they get fewer until they disappear altogether, but I just collect a few seeds when in a wetter area & start again. that's if I can get them before the grandchildren pop them. For the last 20 years, I have been conducting scientific surveys on all the rivers in the Yorkshire Ouse river system for the Environment Agency and Natural England, and I have to take issue with the National Park Notes regarding Himalayan Balsam (D&S Times, Aug 26). Himalyan Balsam is doing just that in some areas, particularly river banks. Himalayan balsam was introduced as a garden plant in 1839, but soon escaped and became widely naturalised along riverbanks and ditches, especially close to towns. Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is a very attractive but problematic plant, especially in the British Isles. I live in one of France's neighbour countries, Belgium, and it grows here abundantly. It self-sows vigorously, and takes over any area where it seeds, driving out native plants. Himalayan balsam is Britain’s tallest annual plant with each plant tending to be around 1-2 metres high, although they can reach a height of 2.5 metres in some cases! Please do not sow seeds of Himalayan Balsam, its incredibly invasive and will smother out native plants! Just be mindful that you donât accidentally transport seeds to your garden!! I'd think twice before sowing the seeds - unless if you live in a more dry area. Consent to use specific herbicides near UK waterways must be sought from the Environment Agency. There are so many plants that people get 'a bee in their bonnet' about it's unreal, for example there's a tree that self seeded out the back (nope dont know what it is) it grows like a nutter every year and produces leaves that some little black caterpillar loves, everyone tells me to get rid of it and I refuse but cut it back to a bare trunk every year so it grows new branches and leaves for the caterpillars the next year. The shallow root system means that Himalayan balsam is very easy to pull out of the soil by hand. You will need. On still, warm mornings, virtually every flowerhead is nodding under the weight of feeding bees. The Act makes it an offence to grow Himalayan Balsam in the wild. I volunteer with the YWT and at this time of year our main job is trying to remove himalayan balsam. Himalayan Balsam is a saving grace for honey bees and other insects in the North West. during the extreme wet spring of 2013 they were a godsend to the bumble bees and we counted 6 different species that were taking advantage of them, then of course they got blackfly and all kinds of other parasitic flies etc. It is possible that Himalayan balsam plants grown at lower irradiance levels have a reduction in foliar nutrients available to support the rust. I think I'd best tread carefully, My little garden at the front, 12x5 has asian poppies, cornflowers Gallardia, two rose bushes, Gogi berry and grape (both over 6 foot) growing up the wall, Atlantic delphiniums that have just gone to seed but were 6 feet tall, a dianthus thats been there for two years that just 'appeared' and is approx a foot square, a few thistle family things that I haven't bothered to identify but tend to put a couple of the nice looking leaves in a salad, (and I aint dead yet) A 2x3 patch of polyanthus that looks great in early spring, a lot of that very small dark red/purple clover stuff that has a small yellow flower and is a pain to keep pulling out and right at this moment you cant see a spare bit of soil anywhere because,,,, the rest has been filled in with,,, yep, Himalayan Balsam. Its a massive & unnecessary problem for us too. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Brian Morland, the Bellflask Ecological Survey Team, East Tanfield, Ripon, Get involved with the news in your community, This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. Foraging With Kids It is fast-growing and spreads quickly, invading wet habitat at the expense of other, native flowers. We’ll be working with groups and volunteers to undertake much of our Himalayan balsam removal work. Etymology. February 2014 We took away the native food sources, now we’re taking away the non-natives. A Gannett Company. June 2012 Erosion is caused by the velocity of the river in spate. Himalayan or Indian balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is an annual herb and was introduced to Britain in 1839. Himalayan balsam is an introduced annual naturalised along riverbanks and ditches. Himalayan balsam, a relative of the busy Lizzie, was introduced to Britain as a garden plant in the 19th century. 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