Himalayan Balsam
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Himalayan Balsam by Keith Williamson as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk
Himalayan Balsam
Image: © Keith Williamson Taken: 12 Oct 2005
Flowers and seed pods of Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) growing by the River Roch at Blackford Bridge, Bury. This plant was introduced to Britain in 1839, but escaped from gardens and rapidly colonised riverbanks and areas of damp ground. Himalayan balsam grows in dense stands (up to 3m tall) that suppress the growth of native grasses and other flora. In the autumn, the plants die back, leaving the banks bare of vegetation and vulnerable to erosion. The seeds form in pods that, when ripe, explode and scatter the seeds some distance. This plant colonises most of the watercourses in this area. SD807076
Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
Image Location
Latitude
53.564654
Longitude
-2.292865