Wildflowers – Touch Me Not Balsam

Touch me not balsam is an annual herbaceous plant in the family Balsaminaceae found in damp places in Europe, Asia and North America.

Touch me not balsam
Touch me not balsam flower

After the yellow flowers die off they are followed by pods which forcefully explode when ripe, ejecting the seeds for some distance. These exploding seed pods help to spread the seeds for some distance from the plant helping its spread.

Touch me not balsam flower
Touch me not balsam flower

As the flower is long and deep many bees can’t access the nectar as their proboscis is not long enough. The flowers ensure their survival by producing self pollinating dwarf flowers.

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