Himalayan Balsam - Impatiens glandulifera

This is a tall, stout hairless plant that can sometimes reach 2 metres in height. Flowers usually pink or purple sometimes white and usually with spots or blotches. In racemes of 5 or more and 'helmet' shaped. Capsule club shaped.

Moist ground. The banks of rivers and streams. Lake margins.

July to October.

Annual. A very invasive species, it can become very troublesome.

Common in many parts of Britain and can be invasive.

Quite common, and increasing in suitable locations in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 46 of the 617 tetrads.