Shrub balsam
Botanical name
Impatiens sodenii
Family
Balsaminaceae (balsam)
Also known as
Where is it originally from?
East Africa.
What does it look like?
Shrub (<2 m) with green, hairless, succulent stems. Leaves (120 x 35 mm) are in whorls. Pale pink flowers (50-65 mm in diameter) are present most of the year.
Are there any similar species?
Impatiens walleriana (also known as I. holstii, I. sultanii, busy Lizzie) is smaller, has orange or red flowers, and occasionally escapes from gardens.
Why is it weedy?
Roots at nodes, spreads by layering, and forms dense stands in degraded and revegetating forest. Moderate to high shade tolerance.
How does it spread?
Fragments are spread by greenwaste dumping and water movement. Common garden and pot plant.
What damage does it do?
Replaces other vegetation on forest floor, and prevents seedlings of native species establishing.
Which habitats is it likely to invade?
Moves slowly from the margins into damp lowland forest in high rainfall areas.
What can I do to get rid of it?
Begin control programme at the top of the catchment to prevent reinfestation during flooding.
1. Physical removal - Hand pull small plants, or dig out entire plant including roots (all year round).
2. Cut and paste (all year round) - Cut the stem/trunk as close to the ground as possible and cover the entire stump with herbicide as soon as possible after cutting. Apply either glyphosate gel (120g/L strength) or metsulfuron gel (10g/l strength) to the entire cut stem.
3. Foliar spray- Apply Glyphosate (360 g/L active ingredient) herbicide (20ml/L) plus organosilicone penetrant (2ml/L) to cover entire plant Note: Non selective. Avoid overspray onto desirable plants.
CAUTION: When using any herbicide or pesticide, PLEASE READ THE LABEL THOROUGHLY to ensure that all instructions and directions for the purchase, use and storage of the product, are followed and adhered to.
What can I do to stop it coming back?
Limited herbicide follow up required.
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