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Common Name:

General Information

Impatiens parviflora is an annual plant that can grow up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

Regular ingestion of large quantities of these plants can be dangerous due to their high mineral content[]. This report, which seems nonsensical, might refer to calcium oxalate. This mineral is found in I. capensis and so is probably also in other members of the genus. It can be harmful raw but is destroyed by thoroughly cooking or drying the plant[]. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones and hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet[].

Botanical References

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Range

Western N. America to Siberia. Naturalized in Britain.

Habitat

Woods and waste shady places, mainly in S. and E. England.

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	1.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in any reasonably good soil[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Prefers a moist well-drained humus rich soil in a cool site[].
This plant has seed capsules that spring open forcibly as the seed ripens to eject the seed a considerable distance. The capsules are sensitive to touch even before the seed is ripe, making seed collection difficult but fun[].

Edible Uses

Young shoots - cooked in one change of water[]. Some caution is advised, see the notes on toxicity at the top of the record.
Seed - raw or cooked[]. They are tedious to collect in quantity[], mainly because of their exploding seed capsules which scatter the ripe seed at the slightest touch[].

Medicinal

Antidote, parasiticide. Used in the treatment of warts, ringworm, nettle stings, poison ivy rash etc[].

Other Uses

A yellow dye is obtained from the plant[]. No more details are given.
Used as a hair rinse for itchy scalps[]. No more details are given.
A fungicide is obtained from the plant[]. No more details are given but it is likely to be the juice of the plant that is used.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.