Wildflowers: Impatiens glandulifera - Purple/white flowers, opposite leaves, 2 ft tall

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by wcutler, Aug 12, 2008.

  1. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    We saw these flowers growing next to the De Boville Slough dike in Port Coquitlam (BC). The plants were two or three feet tall. I think the leaves were about 5 inches long, and the flowers maybe 1 1/2 inches long. I don't know how to describe that flower shape. My friends who were on the walk are saying they look orchid-like, so I think I should get them identified, as the leaves really don't look like orchid leaves.
     

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    Last edited: Sep 15, 2008
  2. pierrot

    pierrot Active Member 10 Years

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    Re: What wildflower? Purple/white flowers, opposite leaves, 2 ft tall

    impatiens glandulifera ?

    maybe himalayan balsam or policemans helmet an invasive weed here in YVR
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2008
  3. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Re: What wildflower? Purple/white flowers, opposite leaves, tall

    That looks exactly like it, Pierrot. I thought the way the leaves grew reminded me of something - impatiens would be it. I see I was a bit off on the "2" feet tall - it's supposed to be 5-10 feet. My memory isn't so good. I thought for some I didn't have to lean over for the photo, but I was on the high point of the dike, so the base could have been lower than I remembered. The photos I've found look identical to it.

    What a shame it's supposed to be so invasive - it's so beautiful. I can't imagine wanting to go out there and pull all those things up.

    I see King County has a form for reporting invasive plant sitings. I wonder if there's such a thing for Vancouver. Or a page that for any location will tell people where to report sitings.
     
  4. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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  5. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Re: What wildflower? Purple/white flowers, opposite leaves, 2 ft tall

    Thanks, Ron. Well, now I know - this, or articles like it, have been quoted in these forums more than 25 times, but I didn't find any of those postings when I tried to search - it's so hard to figure out what to search for. Of course, searching on "impatiens gladulifera" brings them all up, once you know the name. There are some lovely photos posted.

    The previous postings might have been a lot easier to find in a Wildflowers ID forum, but I see that's already been tried and this plant, not being native here, would have just added to the confusion. Maybe for something so seductively beautiful, it's a good thing that it keeps reappearing in the forums to raise people's awareness of its harmful nature.

    I see in the article you cited, it gives the height as "0.6 to 2 metres tall" - I feel better now. I was a little embarrassed at seeming to have mis-remembered as two feet what other articles and postings were saying should be 5 to 9 feet.
     
  6. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Re: What wildflower? Purple/white flowers, opposite leaves, 2 ft tall

    If there is a reporting system in BC I'd expect it to come up on that same agf.gov.bc site.
     

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