Is himalayan balsam same as busy lizzie balsam camellia?

I have some seedlings of Busy Lizzie Balsam Camellia which are taller and stronger and have pointed leaves like New Guinea Impatiens than my regular busy lizzies.





I've read that Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is an invasive plant as it shoots seeds 2 metres away.





Do I have the same thing and should I be worried and eradicate my seedlings before they reach flowering stage?

Is himalayan balsam same as busy lizzie balsam camellia?
No need to worry Busy Lizzie Balsam is not the same as Himalayan Balsam. The Busy Lizzie is known as Balsam or simply "Impatiens". It is commonly cultivated as a garden flower, where, although perennial in frost-free growing conditions, it is often treated as an annual, discarded at the end of the year. The numerous garden cultivars, selected for varying flower colours.





Himalayan Balsam(Impatiens glandulifera) is a large annual plant, native to the Himalaya. It typically grows to 1 to 2 meters high, with a soft green or red-tinged stem, and lanceolate leaves 5–23 cm long. The crushed foliage has a strong musty smell. The flowers are pink, with a hooded shape, 3–4 cm tall and 2 cm broad; the flower shape has been compared to a policeman's helmet, giving rise to the alternative common name "policeman's helmet". Himalayan Balsam is sometimes cultivated for its flowers. It is now widely established in other parts of the world (such as the British Isles and the United States), in some cases becoming an invasive weed. The aggressive seed dispersal, coupled with high nectar production which attracts pollinaters, often allows the Himalayan Balsam to outcompete native plants. In the UK, some local wildlife trusts organise "balsam bashing" events to help control the plant.





However, a recent study (Hejda %26amp; Pyšek, 2006) concludes that in some circumstances, such efforts may cause more harm than good. Destroying riparian stands of Himalayan Balsam can open up the habitat for more aggressive neophytes such as Japanese knotweed and aid in seed dispersal (by dropped seeds sticking to shoes). Riparian habitat is suboptimal for I. glandulifera, and spring or autumn flooding destroys seeds and plants. The research suggests that the optimal way to control the spread of riparian Himalayan Balsam is to decrease eutrophication, thereby permitting the better-adapted local vegetation that gets outgrown by the balsam on watercourses with high nutrient load to rebound naturally. Regarding stands of the plant at forest edges and meadow habitats, they caution that these conclusions do probably not hold true; in such localities, manual destruction is apparently still the best way to stem or slow the expansion of Himalayan Balm.
Reply:I Love these "FLOWERS" and they can invade my garden any time. I would be thrilled if somebody would mail me some of those projecting seeds!! I've tried for years to find some. Report It

Reply:The Himalayan balsam grows into a 5 to 6 foot plant, and the stem is about2 inches thick. It is a weed, and it really does explode its seeds up to 6 feet away. So, if you do by mistake have this weed amongst your busy Lizzie's, you will soon notice that they are growing way too fast.
Reply:They are all much the same, but you could check the variety. The Himalayan and South American variety is known as Myroxylon pereirae. Hope this helps?